Bold Traveller Winter Edition 2023/2024

BOLD WINTER 2023/2024

THE BOLD LIST

WHERE TO GO NOW — AND NEXT

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4 2 0 2 r fo re lo Exp

NORTH AMERICA

ATLANTIC CANADA FLORIDA’S WEST COAST SAN JUAN SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE SINT MAARTEN VIRGINIA

Traveller

Contents

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BOLD TRAVELLER WINTER 23/24

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From the Editor-at-Large

Taking the first step on the continent of Antarctica.

Far right: The portrait gallery at The Oxford Exchange, a restaurant, book store, gift shop and a Champagne bar all under one stunningly designed roof, near the University of Tampa in Tampa Bay, Florida.

CHANGE.

Swinging into the new year at Conrad Bora Bora, French Polynesia.

Top: In the pink at the summer dinner party at Dasha in Toronto’s King West district, launched by Michelin-starred chef Akira Back and now under the guidance of executive chef Hans Vogels.

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BOLD TRAVELLER WINTER 23/24

IT’S ONE OF THOSE WORDS that is fraught with fear and, at the same time, full of intrigue. Change, we say, is a good thing.

On a recent trip, a fellow journalist asked me what place changed me most after visiting. I was thankful she didn’t ask, “Where is your favourite place?” A tough question to answer for someone who travels for a living. But, in the context of how a place may have changed me? That was another matter.

Change, for me, happens every time I go.

There are moments in my mind’s travel eye that I will never forget. Being among the chimpanzees and the gorillas when I was in Uganda and Rwanda changed me – the gorillas filling me with a sense of joy and the chimpanzees filling me with a sense of fear, and both a sense of awe. It forever changed the way I think about our wildlife, especially our primate cousins. Standing in the middle of an immersive art exhibit in London changed me, dipping in and out of a digital rendering revealing the creative layers of some of the artists that continue to inform my view of the world. Van Gogh, Calder, Seurat, Hockney – and Monet, while in France, staring at the sky while in the garden of one of his homes.

Finally ticking Norway and Denmark, not once, but twice, off my list; seeing the fjords changed the way I see the Earth’s landscape, so perfectly imperfect and carved and remote, but not quite as remote as Antarctica.

When I stepped on that, my seventh continent just over a year ago, it took my breath away. It changed how I consider our place as humans in the natural order of things, and made me realize it was time for a change in my own life, as well.

So yes, change is good, when it changes for the better how we engage with the people,

places and things in which we choose to surround ourselves, and how we fit. They come into our hearts and our minds and ignite our emotions – the positive change travel can bring is yet another piece in our well-being puzzle; the gratitude felt from having the privilege of being able to go, and the motivation behind packing that bag and setting off on a new, or even familiar, adventure, and returning home all the better for it.

This year brought me a lot of change, and I’m happy to report it turned out to be most welcome. Aside from my first trip to Scandinavia, I discovered Luxembourg’s Moselle Valley (and the Riesling!), Curaçao, Bonaire and Dominica (incredible Caribbean blues and lush greens), as well as French Polynesia and the Islands of Tahiti (where the 2024 Olympic surfing competition will be held). I’ll have stories to share in the spring, so stay tuned. Until then, don’t fear change – pack a bag, takeoff and go explore somewhere different and new, or do a deeper dive into a place you already adore.

With this issue, allow us to jumpstart your wanderlust with a few of the places we believe, particularly here in North America, where you’ll want to explore for 2024. From our Bold Traveller hearts to yours, may the road rise up to meet you.

Safe travels,

Vivian Vassos Editor-at-Large

Bold Traveller On Loca

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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND BAHAMAS

CELEBRITIES AND VIPS jetted to the Bahamas to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Atlantis Paradise Island and attend The Bal de Royale, where the hosts pulled out all the stops: from a blue carpet arrival to a cocktail reception with a welcome from Tony Danza, followed by dinners at Nobu, where DJ Kim Lee from Netflix’s Bling Empire and Wynn residency spun a set, and at Atlantis’ recently opened Silan, by James Beard Award-winning Chef Alon Shaya. Bold-faced names in attendance included Adrien Brody, Marcia Gay Harden, Katie Couric and Skylar Astin, supermodels Helena Christensen and Alex Lundqvist, fashion designers Georgina Chapman and Cynthia Rowley, musician BeBe Winans, comedienne Amber Ruffin, and more.

Famed jazz singer and pianist Peter Cincotti dazzled guests at Atlantis Casino’s brand new Bar Sol with a set that included an impromptu song by Danza on his ukulele, which Couric handed to him. The evening’s festivities peaked with a performance by five-time Grammy Award-winner CeeLo Green.

Other weekend happenings included the grand opening of Michelin-starred Chef Michael White’s new restaurant, Paranza at The Cove. Guests stayed in The Royal’s Regal Suites and received special-occasion gifts – including handmade Bahamian straw purses, a signed Paradise Island coffee table book by photographer Alessandro Sarno, and accessories from the resort’s luxury Crystal Court Shoppes’ Saint Laurent and Carlo. Happy birthday, Atlantis!

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VICE PRESIDENT + ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Catalina Gordon EDITOR-AT-LARGE Vivian Vassos SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Vawn Himmelsbach ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN Megan Cronje

DOUG WALLACE

JENNIFER MERRICK

LOREN CHRISTIE

Salud, San Juan!, pg 64

The Magnificent Seven, pg 15

Sea Fare, pg 34

BOLD TRAVELLER WINTER 23/24

Traveller

CEO + EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Marlon Moreno

We asked our bold travellers about the destination that surprised them the most in 2023 and where they’re going in 2024.

Houston is the city that surprised me the most.

I was blown away by its multiculturalism, arts and culture, and food scene – not to mention the cowboy boot-tapping spectacle that is the Houston rodeo.

In 2024, I am heading to San Diego to embark on a Princess cruise.

BOLD WINTER 23/24

CONTRIBUTORS

The destination that surprised me the most in 2023 was Colombia. It’s so biodiverse, and so full of smart tourism entrepreneurs who have tapped into the essence of what makes each region of the country special.

In 2024, I’m heading back to the Caribbean for the launch of the new Silversea cruise ship the Silver Nova, then taking my very first ski trip to Quebec’s Mont Tremblant.

ON THE COVER “Island Girl” by Julien Capmeil

The destination that surprised me the most was Paros, Greece.

It’s equally as charming and lovely as Mykonos and half the price. We rented a villa there for a week and it was stunning.

I have been lucky enough to have stayed in a lot of wonderful places but this villa was the best ever. In 2024, I am off to Melbourne for a bleisure trip; half work, half pleasure, which will include some sailing and taking in some tennis at the Australian Open.

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Liz Fleming, Ruth J. Katz CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Loren Christie, Meagan Drillinger, Jennifer Weatherhead Harrington, Brittany Johnson, Alison McGill, Jennifer Merrick, Charmaine Noronha, Kim Pemberton, Aaron Rasmussen, Darcy Rhyno, Michele Sponagle, Doug Wallace WEB DEVELOPER Komodo Innovations Inc. info@komodoinnovations.com Rahul Nair ADVERTISING For Advertising, Promotion, Reprints and Sponsorships Inquiries publisher@morenoco.com 1.647.780.8082 CORRESPONDENCE The Hudson Bay Centre 20 Bloor St. East P.O. Box 75075 Toronto, On. M4W 3T3 BOLDTraveller® is published four times a year by Moreno + Company. Opinions expressed in BoldTraveller® are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the publisher or advertisers.

BoldTraveller® does not assume liability for content. www.boldtraveller.ca

TRENDS. NEWS. FINDS. PEOPLE. OPINIONS. OBSESSIONS

THE BOLD LIST Explore for 2024 Photography: Matthew Williams (Le Suprême); Joshua Dyer (The Wilde); Braden Egli (Sint Maarten); Destination Cape Breton (Highlands); Dorian Hotel (lobby); Visit Florida (Rainbow Springs); Courtesy Casa de Sierra Nevada/Belmond; Fairmont Royal York (cocktail).

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Le Suprême French restaurant, Detroit

Foie & apples at The Wilde on 27, Calgary

Skyline Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, NS

Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida

Sailing in Sint Maarten

The Dorian Hotel lobby, Calgary

Casa de Sierra Nevada, San Miguel de Allende

The Reverie cocktail, Clockwork, Fairmont Royal York

Explore for 2024

THE BOLD LIST WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT?

Our intrepid contributors on what’s inspiring them to go now

WHERE I’M GOING NEXT (for 2024): Anticosti Island is calling. The nearly unknown island (population 290) at the mouth of Canada’s St. Lawrence River is larger than the neighbouring province of Prince Edward Island, population 157,000. Always a wonder for its waterfalls, wildlife and rugged coastline, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site in 2023 for its exceptional fossil assemblage. I’m looking forward to exploring it, on assignment.

Where I want to go in 2024 or bucketlist: The moment I heard that the Caribbean island nation of Dominica created the world’s first sanctuary for sperm whales. Already known as “the nature island of the Caribbean,” Dominica took another giant step forward by protecting 800 sq km of the surrounding ocean, a nursing area for local whales.

I yearn to travel there to swim with the whales on one of their small group tours.

Three things one voyager learned about travel in 2023 – and her takeaway for 2024. JENNIFER WEATHERHEAD HARRINGTON takes stock. @jennweatherhead

“YOU CAN OVERCOME FEARS IF YOU JUST KEEP TRYING!” THE YEAR 2023 brought me one of my busiest travel years to date and it stretched me out of my comfort zone!

Three things that I’ve learned about travel this year… I used to be all about checking off new destinations, but since the pandemic I’ve been craving more familiar travel and wanting to go back to places I’ve been before. I’ve reconnected with people I met on previous trips and that brought me more joy than seeing a new site. I’ve come to realize more this year that the sites will (for the most part) be there year after year– that’s not the case with the people, so I am eager to connect more and see less.

You can overcome fears if you just keep trying! I’ve always had a slight fear of heights and this past year I pushed myself to climb bridges in Brisbane, walk around The Edge in NYC and hike higher peaks. The slight fear is still there but I can feel it fading!

And superficially, I became really focused on airline loyalty! Those points and status can really help ease your stress if you can get access to priority lines and lounges. Airports are stressful enough and this makes my life so much better! Million mile status – here I come!

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It’s island time for MARTHA CHAPMAN I LOVE SMALL ISLANDS with big personalities! I have really enjoyed Anguilla in the Caribbean, Malta, the French islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon off the Coast of Newfoundland, and most recently, Britain’s Channel Islands. For 2024, I have my hopes up – and fingers crossed – that Scotland’s wild and scenic Shetland Islands will be on my horizon.

Photography: @justharrington (Weatherhead); @discoverdominica (Dominica); @marcy_yu (Sandy Island, Anguilla); @woodyvds (Porto), Hawaii Tourism Authority (Maui); @erikeae (Tokyo); @mikeswigunski (Bhutan)

DARCY RHYNO ’S wishlist for lesser travelled places in Canada and the Caribbean. @rhynopics

JIM BAMBOULIS is turning to the Japanese.

Porto and the Douro River is where

SABRINA PIRILLO will be toasting and tasting in 2024.

Heritage and family – and The Big Apple inform JUDI COHEN ’S travel plans. @travelingjudi

IN 2024, I am going to Hungary, to visit my ancestral home, on a five-country Viking river cruise in July. I’ll be attending travel events in St. John’s, Seville, Spain, Los Angeles and New York City.

Speaking of which, I will be in New York City at least once a month throughout 2024 for grandmother duties. Lots more cooking including a Bhutan adventure in September, and several small ship expeditions in different parts of the world.

No moss growing under my feet!

@sabrinapirillo

@travelmammal

I’LL KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET. In 2024, I want to visit Japan to feel the rush of millions of people around me, get caught up in the crush on the Tokyo subway, explore the country’s temples, and for the food, of course. Mongolia is also on my radar for its rugged terrain, stunning topography, and sheer remoteness.

WHERE I’M GOING NEXT (for 2024): The city of Porto and the North of Portugal captivate travellers in ways that go beyond traditional cod dishes and glasses of Port wine. It features several UNESCO World Heritage sites – including the Alto Douro, home to both The Côa Valley Archaeological Park (the largest open-air gallery of Paleolithic art in the world) and the famous wine region. It features centuries of culture and history, an architectural style that is both classic and contemporary, a culinary scene that encompasses fresh ingredients and old traditions, postcard-like views, lush rolling valleys of vineyards and olive trees, picturesque accommodations and river cruises along the scenic Douro River. And with more than 250 native grape varieties, the wine isn’t bad either.

JIM BYERS on mixing work with pleasure – and family in California, Hawaii and beyond. @jimbyerstravel1 WHERE I’M GOING NEXT (for 2024): I’ll definitely be in California (where I grew up) so I can see my Dad and sister. I’ve got plans for St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Bequia), Barbados, maybe New Zealand, and a houseboat trip on Ontario’s Trent-Severn Waterway. I’ll be back on Maui to see how the island is recovering from the tragic wildfires, and I also plan to attend the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) convention in Istanbul as I’m on the board of directors. My dream trip? A voyage on the Aranui, a South Pacific supply ship that goes between Tahiti and the Marquesas. I’ve loved Polynesian culture since I was a kid, and the Marquesas are drop-dead gorgeous.

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The Bold List: Explore for 2024

OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAVEL TRENDS FOR 2024

It’s not just about where you’re going, but why. Whether looking for deeper, mindful experiences, connecting with our First Peoples, or pushing the boundaries of your inner explorer, put a few of these ideas on your bucket list, and make it a meaningful getaway. BY VAWN HIMMELSBACH

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HERE’S A LOT GOING ON IN THE WORLD, from geopolitical strife to climate change to economic uncertainty. In light of all this upheaval, planning your next vacation may seem a bit trivial at times. But travel can be good for the soul, offering a chance to disconnect and decompress. It can also be a reminder of the beauty in this world – the people and places that inspire us and bring us joy.

And when it comes to luxury travel, that’s changing, too. It isn’t just about high-thread-count sheets and Michelin-starred meals (though that’s still important) – it’s about the luxury of silence, of space, in a world where Instagram all too often dictates where people travel. It’s about exclusive access and personalized experiences – not just about staying in a luxury hotel in Japan, but staying in a luxury ryokan where you can soak in your own private onsen overlooking Mount Fuji.

No doubt, we’ll see the continuation of trends like culinary travel, celebratory getaways and multi-generational family trips. Italy and France will continue to be top destinations (for good reason). But there’s also a yearning for something more, especially from travellers who’ve already been there, done that. And they’re no longer waiting for ‘someday’ to go on those bucket-list trips.

If they’ve always wanted to go to Antarctica, they’re going now.

There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, and that’s reflected in the way travel is changing. Here are a few thoughts on where travel might evolve in 2024.

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Hotel-Musée Premières Nations (and below)

INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCES Indigenous tourism is one of the fastestgrowing tourism sectors in Canada, with a slate of new offerings to choose from – like the Tofino Wilderness Resort, set to open in 2024. Located deep in Ahousaht territory, this 126-acre property includes a 16-room floating lodge and longhouse, and a stay here combines wilderness adventure with the cultural practices and traditional knowledge of the Ahousaht People. In Wendake, Québec, the Hotel-Musée Premières Nations – with architecture inspired by traditional longhouses – recently underwent a $10 million renovation. Its restaurant, La Traite, is helmed by a Michelin-starred chef who visited the many Indigenous nations of Québec to incorporate their perspectives into the restaurant’s culinary offerings. Evenings can be spent around a fire in the Ekionkiestha National Longhouse listening to Indigenous storytellers.

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UNDER-TOURISM There are legitimate concerns about the negative impacts of overtourism as travel continues to rebound with a vengeance, despite inflation. For the high-net-worth traveller, luxury means getting away from the crowds. Maybe that means visiting under-the-radar countries like Nicaragua, Romania, Mongolia or Guyana. Maybe that means exploring less-visited locales in popular destinations, like Sicily or Calabria rather than Rome or Tuscany. It could also mean travelling at different times of the year – not just during the shoulder season – like heading to Iceland or Norway during the depths of winter to see the northern lights (preferably from the comfort of your private outdoor hot tub).

Tonnara di Scopello, Sicily, Italy

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Le Commandant Charcot

EXPEDITION TRAVEL

3 DEEP WELLNESS

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For some of us, travel is a way to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life and catch up on some much-needed R&R. Indeed, a Hilton study found that the No. 1 reason for travel in 2024 is to rest and recharge. But these days, lying on a beach and getting a massage just doesn’t cut it. The current wellness trend is about taking a more holistic approach to well-being (including sleep), whether through traditional healing techniques, the latest cutting-edge medical therapies or a combination of both. For example, Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal has its own sleep doctor to help you improve your sleep patterns; Aro Hā in New Zealand is designed to regenerate the mind and body with a program of nature, nutrition, mindfulness, yoga and movement; and Joali Being is an entire island in the Maldives dedicated to self-discovery and transformation.

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Travelling ‘off the beaten path’ isn’t a trend, per se. Humans have been venturing into the unknown throughout history, using compasses and the North Star instead of Google Maps.

But now we can explore the far corners of the earth without sacrificing any creature comforts.

And, in the coming year, luxury expeditions are venturing even further. For example, Scenic isn’t just sailing to Antarctica; its expedition cruises will sail further on to the Ross Sea, one of the remotest regions on earth. Hurtigruten will be visiting the Bissagos, a chain of islands on the West African coast – considered one of the world’s hardest-to-reach destinations.

And Abercrombie & Kent is embarking on an inaugural expedition to the ultimate frontier: the geographic North Pole aboard the new icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot.

Joali Being Retreat

THE YACHT (AND RIVERBOAT) LIFE While cruise ships keep getting bigger, sailing aboard much smaller, more intimate superyachts and riverboats continues to trend.

As a result, we’re seeing the launch of new ships, new destinations and new experiences.

River cruising, for instance, is expanding beyond the grand rivers of Europe; on a Viking or AmaWaterways river cruise in Egypt, you’ll sail aboard a riverboat specifically designed to navigate the Nile, with extra perks like privileged access to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens. We’re also seeing the launch of some truly spectacular superyachts, like the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, where you can live the yacht life in glamorous locales like the Mediterranean.

Then there are water-based ‘experiences,’ like exploring France’s Champagne region on a floating villa with Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, which gives you behind-the-curtain access to the Ruinart vineyards.

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Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat

THE LUXURY OF DISCONNECTION While some people like to post every highlight of their travels on Instagram, there’s a growing desire for analogue vacations, fuelled in part by our ‘always-on’ digital lifestyle. After all, it’s hard to decompress when you’re doomscrolling on your phone. But going off the grid doesn’t mean giving up on life’s luxuries, either.

Like Eremito Hotelito Del Alma, a monasteryturned-resort in the remote wilderness of Umbria. It was one of the first in Italy to offer a ‘digital detox’ experience, but comes with all the comforts you’d expect of a luxury resort.

On the other hand, some locales are so remote, you’re ‘forced’ to go phone-free – say, while on safari at Duke’s Camp, a luxury camp in Botswana’s northern Okavango Delta. While you won’t be able to connect to the Internet, you’ll have time and space to connect with the people and places you love.

Duke’s Camp Tea Tent

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Explore for 2024: City Special

& Photography: Bedrock (Book Tower); Felicia Byron (Guardian Building).

PRESERVATION

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&IN

PERSEVERANCE

THE AGE OF single-use plastics and Amazon Prime same-day delivery, there is something to be said about the legacy of time, and how the face of a city can be mapped on the buildings that rise from it. From the art-deco inspired details to cathedral-like peaks, from behemoth all-glass structures to the Roman-inspired sturdy stone, Detroit’s architecture weaves history with modernity for an unforgettable legacy and glittering skyline.

With the revitalization and rebirth of many of Detroit’s oldest and most well-loved buildings, many of which remained desolate and deserted until recently, companies such as Bedrock Real Estate are not only rebuilding and repurposing these architectural city staples, they are also breathing new life into the city. By reinvesting in its community and people, as well as by creating jobs and opportunities for locals, they are driving tourism without compromising the original architectural beauty and the people of Detroit, who remain the steadfast heartbeat of the city.

BOOK TOWER Bedrock Real Estate purchased the 1920’s, Louis-Kamper-designed, 36-story tower, and neighbouring Book Building in 2015 with a lofty vision for the future. With a revitalization costing more than $300 million and spanning seven years to complete, the magnificent tower (left), which was the tallest building

Taking in the best of Detroit’s architectural legacy.

BY BRITTANY JOHNSON

in Detroit upon opening in 1926, is now home to the ROOST hotel and residences.

The hotel boasts fancy cocktail and dining options, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, and striking event space. The spectacular 3-storey lobby showcases a completely revitalized glass rotunda, with more than 6000 glass panels and 7000 skylight jewels, making it truly the heart and architectural centrepiece of the marvelously restored building. Architectural Digest even included The Book Tower in their “The World’s 11 Most Beautiful Repurposed Buildings” in May of 2023.

THE GUARDIAN BUILDING Elegantly poised at 500 Griswold Street in Detroit's Financial District, the Guardian Building (right), formerly known as the Union Trust Building, transcends mere architecture, embodying a timeless narrative of creativity and triumph. Crafted by the visionary Wirt C. Rowland and completed in 1929, this Class-A office building serves as a living testament to Detroit's resilience and cultural richness.

The Guardian Building has been designated a National Historic Landmark, the most esteemed accolade bestowed by the National Park Service. Aptly known as the “cathedral of finance,” this iconic skyscraper is an emblem of 1920s capitalism, boldly showcasing art-deco aesthetics and a magnificent lobby that stands as a symbol of opulence and prosperity. Notably, the marble adorning its interiors is a luxurious travertine sourced from Italy, near Rome, underscoring the commitment to craftsmanship and quality. Amidst the intricacies of its design, a Tiffany's clock stands as a timeless reminder of the building's endurance through the trials of the Great Depression. The Guardian Building seamlessly fuses Aztec motifs with art-deco elements, creating an awe-inspiring ambiance that beckons visitors into a sanctuary of architectural brilliance.

MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION Michigan Central Station stands as a testament to Detroit's complex narrative of rise, fall, and resurgence, embodying the city's intertwined fate with the automobile industry. The 18-storey architectural gem, with a 3-storey train depot, nestled in Corktown's Roosevelt Park, was once the majestic gateway to the Motor City, proudly holding its status as one of the most splendid railway stops in the United States. Abandoned since Amtrak's departure in 1988, the station recently found a new steward in the form of the forward-thinking Ford Motor Company in 2018. This iconic structure, synonymous with Detroit's gritty past and promising future, is in the final stages of undergoing a remarkable transformation

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The lobby at the Guardian Building

t n e c i f i n g a M The

SEVEN HAVE YOU HEARD of the Paris Syndrome?

First coined by the Japanese psychiatrist, Hiroaki Ota in the 1980s, the term refers to an intense form of culture shock that a few tourists experience, stemming from extreme disappointment due to their romanticized expectations. The gap between the portrayal of the City of Lights in popular culture versus the reality of a congested, gritty metropolis overwhelms, resulting in psychosomatic symptoms. Though this reaction is extreme, many iconic cities, especially during peak season, when crowds and line-ups grow exponentially, may not live up to our idealized image of them.

On the flip side, is what I like to call the Wow-I-Had-No-Idea phenomenon. Time and time again, when visiting less popular, under-the-radar destinations I’ve found myself saying “Wow, I had no idea … Cincinnati had such distinct architecture/Calgary had such an extensive bike trail system/Santa Clarita existed at all besides as a setting for a Netflix zombie series. Not only do you avoid tourist hordes and jacked-up prices, but locals are actually happy to welcome you.

Here, seven underrated cities to experience this phenomenon of wow for yourself.

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into a multifaceted hub for Michigan Central.

The grand waiting room, arcade and concourse will open as welcoming public spaces, inviting all to partake in the city's rich history. The tower, witnessing the ebb and flow of Detroit's fortunes, will be reborn as modern offices, ushering in a new era. The restoration project, scheduled for a phased approach with initial occupancy having just begun, promises a harmonious blend of community and event spaces, public art, ongoing programming, activations, and a curated selection of restaurants and retailers. Michigan Central Station, now poised for a renaissance, serves as a poignant reminder of Detroit's resilience and its integral role in shaping the history and future of transportation.

Perhaps Detroit’s destiny is never to be revived to its “former glory,” but instead, to make a soulful shift, making space to cherish all that the city once was and embrace the potential of tomorrow, while maintaining the steady pulse of the city’s heart.

Our favourite under-the-radar cities in North America for 2024.

According to Jennifer Merrick, get ready to be wow’d

1. HOUSTON, TEXAS The fourth most populous city in the United States after New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, H-town is exceptionally ethnically diverse. Not only does the city’s multicultural fabric create a dynamic and thriving cultural scene, but it’s also reflected in the flavours of its culinary landscape. Yes, you can and should taste some Texan-style smoky, melt-in-yourmouth, barbecue brisket and ribs but you should also try some authentic Vietnamese pho, Mexican street food and fine dining in Houston’s chef-driven restaurants.

Houston Theater District is packed with performing arts venues, offering everything from opera and ballet to Broadway-style shows and live music. The Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Natural Science, Menin Collection and the NASA Johnson Space Center are among its world-class institutions.

WOW MOMENTS

Cycling Buffalo Bayou Park, a 180-acre green space that has trails for walking and biking, rivers for kayaking and numerous art installations to admire. There’s even a bat colony. If you visit at dusk, you’ll see hundreds

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of Mexican free-tailed bats take to the sky from under the bridge.

Touching a piece of moon rock, exploring a shuttle-carrying 747 aircraft and viewing the Mission Operations Control Room 2, where ground control planned and executed the Apollo missions.

Admiring the city at sunset from the Post Market’s massive rooftop. Formerly a post-office processing plant, this 550,000 square-foot site has been transformed into a community hub with exhibits, workspaces, a concert venue and a food hall.

2. SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA

Photography: Felicia Byron (Guardian Building, Detroit); Houston First Corporation (shuttle); Jennifer Merrick (Vasquez Rocks).

Only an hour’s drive north of Los Angeles, this Old West-style town has been the backdrop for numerous films and TV shows. It’s anything but rough and wild, however, with a wide main street lined with historic buildings that now house independent shops, eateries and wine tasting rooms. Strolling is the ideal way to explore here, preferably hand-in-hand with your partner. Just outside this valley town are hills and mountains, which in the spring are speckled with the purples and yellows of gorgeous desert wildflowers.

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Scrambling up Vasquez Rocks – striking boulder foundations that have been featured in countless movies and TV shows, including Star Trek, Blazing Saddles and The Flintstones.

Hiking the trails of William S. Hart Park, a 150-acre recreational site right in the center of town. The trails showcased the high desert vegetation, an attractive mix of cacti and hardwoods. Climb to the top for a panoramic view of the town with the distant mountains peeking through colourful blooms.

Admiring the ‘Oak of the Golden Dream’, which according to local lore marks the spot where gold was discovered in 1842. Located in Placerita Canyon, it’s just one of the features in this remarkable wildlife sanctuary in the San Gabriel Mountains.

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Explore for 2024: City Special WOW MOMENTS

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3. BUFFALO, NEW YORK

4. CINCINNATI, OHIO

Torontonians have always hopped across the border to Buffalo for a hockey game, some wings or maybe some outlet shopping, but this unassuming city has considerably more to offer when you delve deeper. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was a beacon for invention, innovation and visionary architecture design, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House and Graycliff. Recently, the Buffalo AKG, formerly known as the Albright Knox Art Gallery, has reopened to the public after a 195-million-dollar transformation.

Despite its impressive arts and culture pedigree, the city remains refreshingly unpretentious with friendly people, welcoming establishments and a creative vibe.

You may know this midwestern city for its radio station staffed by some very funny DJs and a newscaster who thought turkeys could fly (at least according to the 1970s TV sitcom series WKRP in Cincinnati). But this city punches above its weight in many areas, including professional sports, arts and culture, culinary offerings and craft breweries. It has the best of Kentucky, too. There are more than half a dozen crossings connecting the two states across the Ohio River, including the impressive John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, which was a prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge.

WOW MOMENTS

Kayaking on the Buffalo River through Elevator Alley, where you’ll be dwarfed by towering silos at what was once home to the largest grain port on the planet.

Marvelling at the 100-foot pergola – a walkway that leads to a verdant, sunlit conservatory at the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House.

Listening to jazz while enjoying a cocktail at Duende in Silo City, an industrial landscape that has been repurposed as a mixed-use venue that hosts festivals, performances and cultural events.

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Hearing stories of freedom at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

The Ohio River was once an important crossing point for freedom seekers with Ohio being a free state and Kentucky a slave state.

The stories that this center tells so well are heart-wrenching, but important to hear, and its exhibits are a powerful testament to the struggle for freedom, human rights, and the ongoing fight against oppression.

Touring the limestone 19th-century beer-making tunnels with Queen City Underground Tours.

Creating your own bourbon masterpiece with a Wenzel Whiskey Blending Experience. Feel the warmth of a Kentucky hug – the heat of the bourbon going down inside your chest – as you taste different varieties. Then, put on your distiller’s hat, and mix up your own signature blend that will be bottled and labeled for you to take home.

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7. OCALA, FLORIDA

WOW MOMENTS

Biking through Bic National Park, a 33.2-square-km protected wilderness reserve south of the Saint Lawrence River. Be sure to stop at Pointe-aux-Épinettes to observe the seals lounging about on the rocks. Romantics will love the abundance of blooming wild roses that line the trails with the water shimmering as a backdrop.

Encountering whales on a boat tour of Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park, widely regarded as one of the best places for whale watching in the world.

Ogling the view of Lake Témiscouata from the top of Furnace Mountain. A hike through the forest along moss-covered boulders, ledges and cliffs leads to a panoramic view of the lake and the valley is worth every huff and puff it takes to get there.

Photography: Sharon Cantillon (Buffalo museum); Lance Asper (Cincinnati bridge); Jean-Pierre Houard (Quebec marine park); Native Tongues Taqueria (tacos); Visit Florida (Rainbow Springs).

6. CALGARY, ALBERTA People often head straight out of the town to the national parks when they go to Calgary.

That’s a shame because Alberta’s largest city has been coming into its own in recent years with a burgeoning culinary scene, hip venues for cocktails and live music and a growing network of bike trails that traverse its large swaths of green spaces. And yes, of course, it’s still the gateway to some of Canada's most iconic landscapes, including Banff and Waterton National Parks. Just be sure to spend some time in the western city first.

Canadians flock to Florida’s beaches each winter, often debating whether the Gulf or Atlantic coast is preferable. Ocala is neither, but this small central city north of Orlando has rolling hills, lush landscapes and underwater springs that bubble up crystal clear water to enjoy year-round. Revered for its horses, Ocala is an equestrian haven with thoroughbred horse farms and the lavish World Equestrian Center, a 380-acre property featuring a luxury resort, restaurants, 3000 stables and a 7000seat stadium.

WOW MOMENTS

Enjoying glass bottomed boating at Silver Springs State Park, where you’ll see everything from wildlife and Native American artifacts to abandoned props for old Hollywood productions. The sparkling spring is surrounded by a jungle-like landscape (Tarzan was filmed here) that’s home to deer, fox, alligators and even monkeys.

Horseback riding under a tropical canopy at the Canyon Zip Line and Adventure Park.

Floating down Rainbow River. Whether it’s kayaking, paddleboarding, tubing or swimming, the spring’s Caribbean turquoise water is as inviting and idyllic as any of Florida’s more well-known beaches on either coast.

WOW MOMENTS

5. RIVIERE-DU-LOUP, QUEBEC Located on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, this town translates into English as ‘Wolf River.’ It’s as romantic as it is scenic.

Right in the middle of town is a 108-foot waterfall surrounded by parkland with trails and look-out points, a perfect place for a stroll after dining in one of the terraced restaurants in the downtown core. As it’s the gateway to the Gaspe Peninsula, you’ll be within driving distance of both the coastal maritime landscapes and the beauty of the forested Appalachian Mountains.

Having fun on the Bow River, a glacial-fed waterway that runs through the city and its extensive parklands. Outings can include everything from relaxing activities like pedal boating, fly fishing and swimming to more adrenaline-fueled pursuits like white river rafting and surfing.

Biking and eating with a Food Bike Tour that will take you along the Bow River and into some of the city’s best eateries.

Sipping your way through Calgary’s notable cocktail hotspots. The city’s spirited reputation has grown with establishments like Betty Lou’s Library, a speakeasy that requires whispering a password into a telephone to reveal a jazzy library-themed bar. Other heady options to check out include Klien/Harris, Proof, Native Tongues Taqueria, The Derrick and Paper Lantern.

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es to Stay PlacHOTEL CHECK IN

THE DORIAN, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION, CALGARY Our intrepid writer gets a little Wilde at The Dorian, a luxury hotel in Calgary that goes for the bold, from room design to an invitation to guests to share their secrets, and why you should, too

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ROM DINING TO ROOM DESIGN, The Dorian takes its inspiration from Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, to create stays for guests that feel luxurious and a touch hedonistic. You can sip on cocktails crafted with everything you need from an in-room bar cart while you stretch out on a tufted sofa or prop yourself up in bed on fluffy Turkish pillows. Or blow your budget with a tasting menu and wine pairings.

You’ll find a youthful vibe throughout this 137-room property, which doesn’t play it safe in its design or attitude. It’s flirty, whimsical and a true ageless beauty. The décor bucks the minimalist trend and is unapologetically

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BY MICHELE SPONAGLE

maximalist. Think pattern on pattern, punches of colour and graphic wallpaper. It works.

You might groan when you hear about hotels with a theme. They can turn into Disneyesque nightmares when it’s laid on too thick. The Dorian avoids that by taking a subtle approach.

For a bit of fun, it places a card on the bed inviting guests to share a secret anonymously by scanning a QR code and following the instructions. Depending on the reveals’ level of naughtiness, the portrait of Dorian Gray in the lobby will shift from beautiful to ugly. You can also read the confessions of fellow guests, like one who admitted they spent most of their workday shopping online.

My confession? I loved the hotel’s bespoke Earl Grey Gin, a collaboration with Alberta’s own Eau Claire Distillery, a tad too much.

THE PROPERTY The Dorian, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS HOTEL? I was in search of a great spot for a girls’ getaway and Calgary ticked a lot of boxes for a couple of gals who love cocktails and stellar dining experiences. Discovering that a unique boutique property called The Dorian, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, had recently opened in the heart of downtown was the clincher.

WHEN DID IT OPEN? The Dorian opened in July 2022 – the first new hotel to open in downtown Calgary in more than a decade. It’s a boutique hotel within a hotel. It shares its address with a

keen on reading it.) One thing I loved was the décor and the balance between modern and classic with furniture pieces you might find in an English manor. The bathroom is contemporary with very on-trend, all-black fixtures, yet has retro-inspired wallpaper with a feather motif.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Downtown is where the action is. You can walk a few minutes in any direction from The Dorian and find a stellar spot to eat and drink, whether it’s Major Tom, the city’s uber-stylish rooftop steakhouse, or Model Milk that still draws celebs, like Pedro Pascal and Elijah Wood. And if you’re doing a cocktail crawl, it’s always a good idea to be close to your hotel homebase.

NEED TO KNOW

Courtyard by Marriott, which occupies the lower floors, but The Dorian has its own unique identity.

ANY HISTORY TO THE PLACE? It’s a new property but still has a sense of history in a broader sense since it’s themed around The Picture of Dorian Gray, published in 1890. (Each room has a copy, if you’re

Mini-fridge Complimentary WiFi Large working desk Luxe Turkish linens and pillows Walk-in showers Aesop toiletries Lavazza coffee maker and pods Kettle Bathrobe and slippers Lighted makeup mirror Complimentary bottled water 55-inch LCD TV with premium movie channels In-room beverage/bar cart Blackout drapes

DESIGNED FOR EVERYBODY? Fans of beige may be disappointed. The Dorian banishes boring and dares to be different. Clearly, that resonates with a wide range of guests. There were plenty of business types staying at the hotel during my visit, but I also saw couples and groups of gal pals, too. I didn’t see or hear any kids, though I’m sure they’d be welcome. The hotel is also dog friendly.

BREAKFAST IN BED? Absolutely and no one would blame you. The beds are top-notch and meant to be enjoyed.

And besides, the story of Dorian Gray is all about hedonism so indulge. If you can pry yourself out of the bed, check out on-site dining options, like the Prologue Café or The Wilde on 27.

WHAT YOU LOVED There’s a lot to love, but at the top of my list would be the design. I didn’t realize how accustomed I had become to hotels that played it safe with neutral finishes and shades of taupe. It is refreshing to see bold wall treatments and colour. It really gives the property an energy and a feeling that this is the place to be.

The Dorian also earns kudos for having motion-activated night lights by the bed, so you never have to fumble your way to the bathroom and grope for light switches along the way.

WHAT YOU THOUGHT COULD BE BETTER I’m a devotee of lounging in bed. I’m often sprawled out reading a book, working on my laptop, writing notes or watching Netflix.

That means I need nightside tables with ample room to keep my stuff handy. I found the ones in The Dorian too small for my needs.

Reserve directly or through most hotel booking sites. thedorianhotel.com

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BOLD TRAVELLER PARTNERSHIPS

FIND YOUR

PEACE

INNER

AT ARMONY

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MAGINE THIS: A stretch of soft, white sand and the feel of gentle waves washing over bare feet. The silhouette of jungle-covered mountain peaks etched into the distance. The sounds of a splash from an oceanfront infinity pool. And the sip of a perfectly crafted cocktail from the swim-up bar. An artfully designed moment of peace is a highly personalized one.

At Armony Luxury Resort & Spa, A Marival Collection, guests are invited to explore and indulge in whatever inner peace means to them.

The newly renovated luxury all-inclusive resort sits on a stretch of sand overlooking the Bay of Banderas from the coveted perch of Punta Mita. Punta Mita is one of the most exclusive addresses along Mexico’s Pacific Coast – a posh playground of private villas, luxury hotels and seaside communities. The adults-only, award-winning Armony Luxury Resort & Spa, A Marival Collection, is the latest to be inducted into the five-star fold.

Armony Luxury Resort & Spa is not a new resort, but it is presenting in a fresh, new way.

The resort has been redefined to be the first of Marival’s Adults-Only Collection. What originally started as a family-centric model has been fully transformed into an exclusive, adults-only destination. Tailored for adults looking to discover their inner peace, its guests take a journey to tranquility at this 268-key resort that has perfected the art of wellness, gastronomy and sustainability.

Armony Luxury Resort & Spa splashes onto the scene with a striking design. Think a tropical colour palette, multiple pools, an internationally inspired spa, a high-tech fitness centre, restaurants and bars, including a rooftop farm-to-table dining concept. Its standout services and exceptional attention to detail have earned it awards like AAA Four Diamond status, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice and a spot on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hotels list.

Armony Luxury Resort & Spas have created adult-only sanctuaries designed to give guests a true sense of place. Each guest room and suite is an oasis of tranquility and comfort. Rooms start at 366 square feet (34 square metres), while suites are even more generously sized. The Allure Suite in particular is a romantic escape thanks to its private infinity pool and beachside location. A full bathroom features a standalone tub, perfect for a deep, peaceful soak. All rooms are part of the all-inclusive plan (aside from room service) and feature a complimentary mini-bar.

A strong wellness program is integral to helping guests disconnect from the stressors of the outside world and reconnect with their inner peace. The Mélange Spa is designed for just that. The spa draws inspiration from ancient healings and practices from around the world. Here, guests will find abundant energy and tradition, a place to rest and recharge, and a menu of treatments devoted to relaxation and self-discovery.

The spa’s signature Bali massage uses a combination of techniques, as well as seven different essential oils for mental relaxation.

Guests can tuck into a decadent mud massage using organic ingredients like bell pepper, lime essential oil, coconut and noni extracts, all designed to nourish the skin and settle the mind.

Nourish is a keyword in the message of Armony Luxury Resort & Spa, as is highlighted through its four distinct restaurants. For all-day dining, guests can visit Essence, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual, yet upscale setting. La Brise is beloved for its regional flavours served al fresco under a soaring palapa. At Insú, guests embark on a culinary journey around the world sampling cocktails and snacks with international flair. But the restaurant that steals the show is Divum, the rooftop finedining restaurant with signature dinners that highlight a farm-to-table concept inspired by Mexico’s gastronomic heritage.

In fact, Divum is a prime example of Armony Luxury Resort & Spa’s commitment to sustainability. Divum’s signature dinners are all designed with locally sourced ingredients.

Octopus tacos are marinated in local Guajillo chili and spices and heaped atop blue corn tortillas. Grilled pineapple is marinated with raicilla, a locally produced spirit.

Boneless short rib is brushed with artisanal Cuastecomate mole, and a wine list has notable standouts from star wines produced in Mexico.

Tapping into inner peace is a highly personal journey and means a little something different to every traveler. But at Armony Luxury Resort & Spa, personalization is part of the package, and the journey to inner peace is not a difficult one to make.

For more information visit transat.com/ en-CA/hotels/armony-luxury-resort-spa

Turning the page on what’s next in mixology, Vivian Vassos takes a literary trip with one of Canada’s top bartenders 32

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Photography: Rick O’Brien/Fairmont Royal York (Grant, opposite page; Library Bar, this page); Canadian Club (bottle)

Bold Taste: Libations

HAVING A COCKTAIL CRAFTED by James Grant is like taking a sip of a chapter of a deliciously intricate novel. Grant (left), who is the director of mixology at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel, mixes up his menu like a table of contents, taking the “reader” (or in this case, me, the sipper), through a tale of cocktails. Like any good novel, or any great bar, for that matter, the story is key.

“This menu really suits this bar,” Grant tells me, when I meet him at Library Bar, the hotel’s cozy and sexy cocktail den.

The Alberta native, who was named World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2021 and Canada's 100 Best Bartender of the Year 2022, has broken down his cocktail offerings for Library Bar into literary genres; take for example, the Southern Reach in the Science Fiction section; or the Gunslinger or Little Seeds in the Folklore section. “It’s built off how the previous menu was structured,” he adds, divided into genres, but a very loose idea.

More like romance, history, fantasy.

“A library is a room of stories, whether it’s the stories that bartenders are telling or the stories that play out here, over the years,” says Grant. “I pushed the bartenders here a little to start with a story, one that’s important to them.” He tells me the Sacred Beast was inspired by a quote from the creator of Godzilla, the original film. “Charred, smokey, bright, everything in the cocktail is meant to sort of look and feel like what a city might look like in Godzilla’s wake,” Grant says. He describes it as in between an old fashioned, a margarita and a whisky sour, “you’ve got the habanero and mezcal, but also lapsang

souchong smoked green tea, and cinnamon, yet the charred habanero doesn’t impart any spice because we distill them, and get the pepper flavour without the heat.” It’s also a reflection of Grant’s sense of humour, paired with his trademark dandy sartorial style and arresting, slightly mischievous smile he sports while shaking and stirring.

Little Seeds, with its totally edible, candied pinecone garnish is up next. To my palette, it’s not woodsy, but more like a Spanish olive and a piece of fruit in each bite. Turns out it’s a white pine cone, harvested when still young.

“Little Seeds is inspired by Toronto and my favourite novel about Toronto, Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion; I wanted to do something about the woods that are around city where the novel takes place, so we have spruce-tip distillate that we make in house, Botanist gin, a bit of Canadian whisky distilled here in Ontario, some cypress and a little bit of maple syrup. It’s been such a wonderful experience living here now and seeing that the places in the book are real.”

Turns out Grant is a student of language. “I am putting my English degree to work. This is my baby. Each bar has its own identity, Clockwork is the lobby bar, it’s approachable, it’s bright, it’s the lighter spirit, it creates that moment of celebration after a day of travelling; Library Bar is very much a classic cocktail bar.”

Grant’s ultimate goal, he adds, was to create a menu that elevates and pushes the bar into the future, with a nod to the past. “So these are all wild takes on classic cocktails, at their heart they’re still classics, and that has to be really important, the history here being rooted in stories that focus on that connection between guests and hosts.”

I finish with the Divine Comedy from the Poetry section of the menu – eucalyptus, Dillon’s melon gin, prosciutto. Yes, prosciutto and melon! An appetizer in a glass, inspired, says Grant, by all of the Divine Comedy, not just Inferno, but also Paradiso. “So it goes from this spicy, meaty, savoury and dark element in its flavour profile to a light, cooling and refreshing element in the melon gin, all served on crushed ice.” Paradiso, indeed.

Librarybartoronto.com

JOIN THE CLUB An invitation to explore the future of a Canadian icon in whisky “Invitations hold the promise of good things to come, such as camaraderie, enriching adventures, old friends, older stories and the chance to write new ones,” says Tish Harcus, long-time brand ambassador for Canadian Club.

An invitation? We’re intrigued. Harcus is extolling the virtues of the new Invitation Series. “Canadian Club exists at the heart of all that.”

Billed as “a hand-poured personal welcome to discover the essence of Canadian Club through modern and relevant expressions,” Issue No.1, Canadian Club Classic 15 Year Old Sherry Cask, the first release of the series serves as Harcus’ “personal, heartfelt invitation to explore Canadian Club, its legacy and enticing expressions.”

The distillery founded by Hiram Walker more than 160 years ago is still headquartered in Windsor, On., and has been a whisky of infamy and choice since the days of the Prohibition era, through the Mad Men era to this year’s Invitation Series release. The distillers take CC’s Classic 12 Year Old through a second aging in Oloroso sherry casks, marrying the richness and sweetness of sherry with classic CC to create Canadian Club Classic 15 Year Old Sherry Cask. The liquid offers a spicy creaminess on the palate accentuated by notes of caramelized oak, toffee and rich mellow wood. Hints of vanilla and sherry mingle on the tastebuds for a long, clean, finish.

But this lovely sip won’t be around forever. Canadian Club Classic 15 Year Old Sherry Cask is a limited edition release across English Canada.—MM

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Bold Taste: Virginia

A SIMPLE PLEASURE On the banks of the Lynnhaven River in Virginia, Vivian Vassos spends the day with a waterman shucking oysters and has a pearl of a time

“I think we’re going to be friends, Miss Vivian. It’s such a lovely name to say.”

THIS VIRGINIA GENTLEMAN’S twang is coming at me from Chris Ludford, while shaking my hand, and looking down at me from under his wide-brimmed straw hat.

Under said brim, I spy friendly eyes, a broad smile and his Santa-white beard, which has gone a bit wild, with ringlets that would make any curly-haired beauty envious.

At first sight, Ludford appears to be a displaced hippy surfer, all long limbs and board shorts and flip flops. But he’s got a story that is much more than his cover. He hails from a long line of Watermen; generations of (mostly) men who made their living on the water, fishing, boating, caring for the sea. And

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it’s no wonder. We’re in Virginia Beach, on the Lynnhaven river just off Chesapeake Bay, and he’s telling us a bit about his provenance. The Waterman life wasn’t enough for Ludford, and he soon trained to be a firefighter. He rose in the ranks, but when it came time to hang up his hat, he didn’t just retire. He went back to the water. This time, it was the Bay’s oysterfarming culture that beckoned, a siren call to return to what he knew and loved.

“Oysters are not just the luxury food with a history; not just only for the elite, but being so precious that they’ve been fought over and started conflicts,” he says, while sizing me up with a pair of boots that will allow me to

wade in the Lynnhaven’s shallows, which flow into the Bay. Like our Maritime lobsters, the oyster was once a plentiful food for everyone including the Indigenous people of this place.

Then, the oyster came up in the last turn of the century as a symbol of the rich and powerful – think Rockefeller, Gatsby, Astor. Serving oysters meant you’d made it, you were playing in the big leagues.

But oysters are so much more, Ludford notes. “They are filters for the Bay, they add to the quality of the water here and of the environment.” Once we’re kitted out for exploration, we jump into Ludford’s motor boat and go for a short sail to where his oyster

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Photography: Visit Virginia (oysters from Pleasure House)

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backing on bigger shells, like a family support group.

The little island is home to oysters, but also to crabs and other sea creatures that, in turn, feed the numerous birds in the area. While we’re there, we spy Blue Herons, Ibis and Egrets, all peacefully feasting on the riches, which also indicates the health of the waters that feed it all. It’s our turn, and Ludford returns from the boat with his supplies for his “Chef ’s Table,” where he treats his guests to an oyster tasting while standing in the Lynnhaven, from the very water in which they’re farmed. This is laser local at its finest.

Everything he brings out has a story, from the large salvaged wooden door he uses as a table top to the old cages he uses as table

legs. He sets it up in the shallows, just on the edge of the slip of beach that’s naturally been carved out by the tide. His farming, like his hosting, is all done with care, by hand, never industrialized. It’s rustic and real, charming and luxurious. He has harvested some for us fresh that morning; briny, sweet, mild and so fresh, they’re easier on the palette than many oysters I’ve tried – and a wonderful, savoury way to get our daily dose of immune-boosting zinc. “I recycle the shells, too,” he indicates a bin with empty, sun-bleached shells; they are used for jewelry and decoration, by local artists and craftspeople.

Speaking of stories, why Pleasure House?

Rewind a few hundred years, to the founding of Virginia, the first place English explorers

Photography: Visit Virginia (Pleasure House Chef’s Table Tour; oyster)

farms are located. “Show me your hand,” he says to me. I do, and he touches my baby finger. “When an oyster starts out, it’s no bigger than the nail on this finger,” he points.

“When it gets a little bigger, this is what I plant, and take care of.” We climb carefully out of the boat and trawl gently to what I think is a little sprout of land cropping out of the surf a few metres away. To the untrained eye, you’d have no idea that there are oyster cages submerged close by, and that these sprouts of land, complete with tall green grasses, are mostly made up of used oyster shells. “Look here,” he gestures excitedly. “New oysters have attached themselves to the old shells and are thriving.” I take a closer look, and it's true.

I can see tiny oysters, like barnacles, piggy-

“OYSTERS ARE NOT JUST THE LUXURY FOOD WITH A HISTORY; NOT JUST ONLY FOR THE ELITE, BUT BEING SO PRECIOUS THAT THEY’VE BEEN FOUGHT OVER AND STARTED CONFLICTS”

THE ART OF WELL-BEING Virginia Beach has been a draw for artists and wellness seekers for a century.

set their wandering eye on. Settlers made this part of the world their home, and within it a place named Pleasure House Point near its eponymous creek, Ludford says, where men would gather for a drink; spirits of the liquid and convivial variety.

He’s set up an ad-hoc bbq/smoker, and he’s slowly cooking the oysters so that those of us who aren’t the raw type can still enjoy this bounty from the river. “They’re still warm, so be careful,” Ludford advises, as he shucks the steamy, smoky bivalves and places them gently on our chef ’s table. He pours us a bit of bubbles to go with, and we toast to our good fortune, our good health and the goodness of mother nature. pleasurehouseoysters.com; virginia.org

At the Edgar Cayce Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) centre, the mind, body and spirit are treated holistically, with a deep belief of the mystic and a faith in religion folded in. Lead by the principles of the late founder, Edgar Cayce, and his gifted ability to “read” people, particularly their state of health, the centre teaches everything from mindful meditation, in a room anchored by massive crystals, and coping strategies for anxiety, weight management and smoking cessation. Crystal therapy, delving into reincarnation and past lives and more mainstream activities such as yoga can all be had here.

One interesting therapy brings back childhood memories: It entails heading to the beach and being buried in the sand (head notwithstanding, of course), where the mind is led in meditation and the body soaks up the beach sand’s natural minerals. It is also home to a massage therapy school, the Cayce/ Reilly School of Massage, and the centre takes appointments for those wishing to experience massage techniques developed by physiotherapist Harold J. Reilly, based on Swedish massage, and Cayce’s wellness principles and readings. The onsite cafe, Graze Kitchen, is chef Shelley Kilby’s ode to healthy

southern cuisine (yes, Viriginia, there is such a thing), leans toward wholesome ingredients sourced as much as possible from local suppliers; ask what the soup of the day is – chances are you won’t regret it. There’s a lovely sunroom where you can have a spot of lunch, post-massage. edgarcayce.org/ For those that prefer to meditate on the visual will revel in Virginia Beach’s ViBe Creative District, a neighbourhood that features street art, murals, sidewalks, even the trees, and warehouses that have been converted to artists’ studios and their shops where they can display and sell their wares.

This cultural hub near the Virginia Beach Oceanfront also has monthly open houses, art walks, live entertainment, community project initiatives, and Old Beach farmers’ market days; it’s dotted with more than 75 small businesses, owned by an eclectic mix of locals and those quirky artsy types that came for a visit and just stayed. Cute coffee houses, local chef-driven restaurants and vintage clothing and furniture shops weave their way between the studios.

Start by taking breakfast at Commune, the farm-to-table restaurant where the chefs endeavour to only use local and seasonal ingredients. Don’t miss the veggie/zucchini fritters and the Biscuit Egg Benedict. And come hungry or with a crowd because these plates are generous enough to share.

Vibecreativedistrict.org —VV

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Photography: @daveyandsky/Tourism Nova Scotia

Bold Taste: Bay of Fundy

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SEA FARE

Dining on the ocean floor?

Yes, says Loren Christie, who broke bread with fellow foodies in the Bay of Fundy

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IT BLOWS MY MIND that we are on the ocean floor,” said Laura as we clinked our glasses of Avondale Sky Winery’s Lady Slipper Rosé in a toast to Nova Scotia. As a native of the province, I have grown up used to the idea that tides can go as high as 15 metres, but surrounded by a group of 14 diners, who had come from around the world to see this phenomenon, I realized just how unique this truly Maritime experience was going to be.

Billed as Dining on the Ocean Floor, the six-hour two-meal experience is only held for the public eight times during the summer season. Located in Nova Scotia’s Burntcoat Head Park, along the shores of the worldrenowned Bay of Fundy, our casual East Coast day is actually meticulously planned around the tide schedule. Where we sit for dinner is home to the world’s highest recorded tides.

Laura Naide and her husband Eric had come up from the Washington, DC area to see it. So had a couple from Australia and a family from Bermuda. Over pre-dinner cocktails, standing on the red sand and vibrant green seaweed that covered the ocean floor, Laura explained that she had been weighing her vacation options between Croatia and Nova Scotia. When she discovered Dining on the

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Ocean Floor, it had sealed the deal in Nova Scotia’s favour. “We love adventure, we love to learn and we love to eat,” she said. “But mostly we love to do things that capture a sense of place. This has it all.”

Our day began just before lunch. After we gathered at a picnic table by the park entrance, Leann Grosvold, the Event Host, welcomed us with a glass of bubbles and introduced us to local farmer and forager, Jonathan Newell.

Newell presented roughly two dozen plants, trees and seaweeds that he assured us were worthy enough for any kitchen pantry; balsam fir for tea, spruce tips for jams and jellies, purple clovers and local mushrooms for enhancing flavour profiles and a number of seaweeds including sea blite, sea asparagus and laver. All were surprisingly flavourful and had been gathered within an hour’s drive of where we stood.

The foraging session led into a Shore Boil on the grass overlooking the beach where we ate bowls of clams, mussels and lobster claws, all from the Bay of Fundy, and cooked together with some of the seaweeds we had just sampled. Accompanied by a glass of Avondale Sky’s uniquely Nova Scotian wine, Tidal Bay or your choice of a wheat beer from the local Schoolhouse Brewery, our intimate group quickly got in the casual spirit as we were encouraged to take our best shots at throwing our empty shells into metal buckets positioned in the middle of our dining circle. I missed almost every shot but I blame the wine, which was generously flowing.

With the tide at dead low, it was time to go on to the ocean floor to explore.

Anita Benedict, our tour guide who also moonlights as the Town Crier for the regional Municipality of East Hants, was perfectly equipped to guide us around the windy beach.

The crashing waves in the distance served as a soundtrack as she pointed out the life left

exposed by the water that had retreated a couple of hours earlier, including periwinkles, hermit crabs, blue mussels and countless others. Flowerpot islands that had been carved out by the power of the ocean made a beautiful backdrop to our walk. “The tide has turned,” she warned. “Best to head back. Plus it’s happy hour!”

After Laura and I finished our rosé we were all invited to sit down to a three-course dinner, with a focus on locally sourced foods. A charcuterie sampling included duck prosciutto, venison sausage, cheeses and farm preserves.

The main course featured a filet mignon and lobster tail, Digby scallops and a ratatouille of vegetables from the Annapolis Valley. Wine and beer pairings accompanied each course and ended with Avondale Sky’s Drops of Amber ice wine to match a dessert of phyllo pastry with lavender cream and freshly picked blueberries.

The experience ended with Elder Lorraine Whitman and her sister Darlene, members of the nearby Glooscap First Nations, inviting the sated diners to a campfire chat, where over coffee they shared some of their Mi’kmaq traditions. Lorraine closed the day by singing a hauntingly beautiful traditional song in her native tongue. As she sang the increasing wind did not manage to drown her or the fire out, but over her shoulder I could see the advancing tide and knew it was only a matter of time for our quintessential Nova Scotian experience to come to a close.

Editor’s Note: Dates for the 2024 Dining on the Ocean Floor events were released on January 3rd, 2024, with the tickets becoming available for purchase in late February. To buy tickets, contact Domenic Padula by phone at 902-2236962 or to purchase tickets online go to diningontheoceanfloor.ca.

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Photography: @daveyandsky/Tourism Nova Scotia

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THIS WAY TO THE BEACH

The Boca Raton Yacht Club

Photograph: The Boca Raton

Golf. Tennis. Polo. Sailing. Champagne. Caviar. Gilded Age Glamour.

When we think of The Palm Beaches, many of us think of a playground for the rich and famous. It is, however, so much more.

THE ORIGINAL. THE ONE. THE ONLY. THE PALM BEACHES.

HEN HENRY FLAGLER arrived in Florida in 1878, his first stop was Jacksonville. Flagler was looking for a restorative cure for his ailing wife, Mary Harkness – the draw of the legend of Ponce de León and his fountain of youth was no doubt irresistible, but more importantly, Florida, for this self-made oil-baron, was uncharted territory. It wasn’t just Flagler that saw its potential; his wife’s doctors had recommended spending the inclement winter months in the mild temps of Florida as a wellness remedy.

Yet even in Jacksonville, the grip of winter could occasionally be felt: frost touched the trees, the waves grew grey and rolling. South to St. Augustine, Flagler tried again. There, he began his dream: to create places to stay and to connect the east coast of the state with one railroad. Flagler bought up the existing independents, none of which were connected, and laid tracks southward. But what stopped him in his own tracks was a strip of sand just across Lake Worth lagoon, seemingly floating in the blue waters of the Atlantic, teeming with swaying palm trees. This picturesque location would soon become known as Palm Beach.

Flagler settled there, started to build hotels, including the storied The Breakers, which still stands as a monument to grand hotels. The Gilded Age denizens arrived in Palm Beach, bringing monied society from the north – the original snowbirds – to spend “the season,” from Christmas to Easter, frolicking in the sun and sand. The hotel registers were lined with names such as Rockefeller (who was a friend and partner with Flagler in Standard Oil), Vanderbilt and Astor; America’s first resort destination was born.

Today, Palm Beach County, or The Palm Beaches, as we like to call them, stretches over 39 towns from Jupiter in the north to Boca Raton in the south, and westward from the Atlantic to the shores of Lake Okeechobee.

From arts and culture to cuisine to well-being, its appeal is enduring, year-round. It’s been an enclave for some of the most iconic designers, from fashion to decor, for decades (Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Lily Pulitzer, shopping!) and it still draws the stars – Brooke Shields, Tom Ford, Venus Williams and Celine Dion among them.

So, this way to the beach – all 47 miles of them! – and a few ideas for how to spend the season and beyond in The Palm Beaches.

Photographs: The Palm Beaches, The Breakers Palm Beach; Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa; Café Boulud Palm Beach; © Flagler Museum, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens; Jupiter Lighthouse by Richard Sagredo on Unsplash.

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(Clockwise from top) Steak Tartare, Café Boulud Palm Beach; Flagler Museum Whitehall’s Drawing Room; the landmark Worth Avenue Clock Tower; The Breakers Palm Beach lobby

Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa

1. DIVE IN Water, water, everywhere, and it’s no wonder.

Because of its geography, Palm Beach County is the furthest easterly point on the Atlantic coast of the US. This unique spot makes it closest to the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream, which brings a wealth of sea life to its shores (beach bums and sun worshipers like it, too!). Snorkelers and divers can dip under the sea to discover more than 160 artificial reefs and a profusion of deep-sea wrecks.

Manatee Lagoon in Riviera Beach, just north of West Palm Beach, is a favourite port in the wild for the beloved gentle “cows of the sea.”

At Loggerhead Marinelife Center, sea turtles are the star attraction, where scientists are dedicated to ocean conservation at the home of one of the most densely populated nesting grounds for Loggerhead sea turtles in the world.

2. CHECK IN The OG of sunny resort destinations, The Palm Beaches have plenty of places to lay your head.

And you don’t have to have the bank account of a Rockefeller or a Vanderbilt to do it (but if you can splurge, we recommend The Breakers Palm Beach, another OG of the county). The Ben, which opened in 2020, is a chic 208-room

Marriott Autograph Collection property and celebrates West Palm’s grand dame Byrd Spillman Dewey and her husband Fred’s estate, which they named Ben Trovato. They partied with the Vanderbilts and entertained presidents, and the rooftop bar has one of the best views in the city. The Boca Raton, a five-property complex in Boca Raton, sits on the original resort footprint designed by one of Florida’s architectural founders, Addison Mizner, and suits everyone from low-key bungalow dwellers to yacht club enthusiasts.

And, in quirky Delray Beach, the Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa mixes a wellness focus with an American-Caribbean vibe, right on the doorstep of the area’s famed Atlantic Avenue and Pineapple Grove arts district.

3. DIG IN The bounty of the ocean paired with a long growing season for agriculture is a chef ’s culinary nirvana, and Palm Beach County is host to James Beard-award recognized and Michelin-starred chefs. The king of Frenchmeets-American cuisine, Daniel Boulud, has Café Boulud Palm Beach in the 1920s glam The Brazilian Court Hotel; Clay Conley’s swoon-worthy small-plates come out of the kitchen at Buccan, and Pushkar Marathe’s

(Left to right) The Palm Beaches feature more than 160 golf courses; Lobster Roll, Café Boulud Palm Beach; Jupiter Lighthouse. (Opposite) In the Wake of the Hunters, by Charles Marion Russell; Typewriter Eraser, Scale X (1999) by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen, installed at the Norton Museum of Art; Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Ela Curry Kitchen, where the menu fuses refined Indian cuisine with thali- and street food-style cooking, to name just a few. But this is Florida, and there’s no better place to enjoy food outdoors than at one of the many festivals. March brings the Wellington Bacon and Bourbon Festival; in April, wine and food pairings are the focus at Boca Bacchanal; while later that month, the Sweet Corn Fiesta (corn is a bountiful agricultural product in the county, growing in the black soil of The Glades region). December brings the always-popular Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival.

known for its American and Chinese art collections. Rothko and Rembrandt, Calder and Picasso, among more than 8,000 works, are all in the house, the sculpture garden is a bucolic respite. For more outdoor art, the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens, with its collection of bonsai displays, invites one to appreciate art while being in the restorative surrounds of nature. If you’re there between October and May, book one of the monthly Japanese tea rituals for an immersive experience.

4. TAKE IT IN

This is the home of the PGA, so golf has got to be good here, right? When Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, Jack Nicklaus and a few dozen other top golfers in the world choose Jupiter and Palm Beach County as their home, you know it is. And, if you want to see them play, the Classic In The Palm Beaches, formerly the Honda Classic, tees off every February at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens.

Some of the best on the fairways compete for a cool million bucks, but you don’t need to be a millionaire to hit the links. Golfers (or wannabe golfers) can book a room at the PGA National Resort, and you can even take a few lessons from the resident pro. Tennis star Venus Williams is also a fan; it’s where her design company, Vstarr, has reimagined The Spa as a tropical wellness retreat. Two public courses worth note are the historic, near century-old Lake Worth Beach Golf Club, where the greens and fairways are carved out between South Florida’s natural elements, and the Delray Beach Golf Club, which was designed by the godfather of golf architecture, Donald Ross, in 1926.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention The Flagler Museum and Whitehall, the winter “palace” and architectural marvel of Henry Flagler and his third wife, Mary Lily Kenan, in Palm Beach. The house is an ode to The Gilded Age, with its Beaux Arts design (the same architects had a hand in the New York Public Library), and features some of the greatest innovations (electricity, en suite bathrooms) of the times. Stunning and opulent, it is a carefully preserved masterpiece of American society prior to the First World War. Speaking of masterpieces, there are quite a few on view at the Norton Museum of Art, particularly

5. SWING IT

6. CLIMB IT Not just any lighthouse, mind you, but the tallest point in Palm Beach County. In the town of Jupiter at Jupiter Inlet, you’ll find the Jupiter Lighthouse, a guiding beacon that’s been operating since 1860 – and one of a baker’s dozen of lighthouses in the US that utilises this powerful lens. The museum features self-guided tours and tells of the area’s indigenous people and early-day pioneers.

From the top, you’ll be inspired by the uninterrupted views of the Atlantic to, once back on solid ground, take a trip to the beach, where the water is a constant 25C (78F). The Square Grouper Tiki Bar on Love Street at Jupiter Inlet has been a local favourite for live music, good food and tiki-inspired cocktails since 2003. This is the perfect place for a laidback, seaside holiday. thepalmbeaches.com

Artist Hermes Arroyo, with his mojigangas

MINI MASTERPIECES,

MAJOR JOY Proclaiming itself “a gift from Mexico to the world,” artsy San Miguel de Allende draws out visitors’ playful, creative side. BY AARON RASMUSSEN 48

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Photography: Casa de Sierra Nevada, A Belmond Hotel

Explore for 2024: Mexico

Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel cathedral

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Photography: Casa de Sierra Nevada, A Belmond Hotel, Aaron Rasmussen (small mojiganga)

I’M

ADMIRING A PINTSIZED mojiganga, a papier-mâché replica of myself – graying hair, hazel eyes, green-framed glasses – and dabbing the final touches of midnight blue on my doppelgänger’s tiny tunic. Behind me, a colossal pair of these folkloric figures loom, gazing down, warm smiles quite literally plastered on their joy-filled faces.

I find myself in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, attending a mojigangas workshop in the open-air Artist’s Corner inside the fortress-style Casa Parque, one of six historic 17th- and 18th-century heritage mansions that make up the serene luxury Belmond property Casa de Sierra Nevada.

Paint containers in a rainbow of shades line the table; in one hand, I hold my dripping paintbrush, in the other, a spicy, smoky mezcal margarita.

with Casa de Sierra Nevada guests, including Meryl Streep, who eagerly participated in the roughly two-hour process to produce a miniature version of herself.

While the mojigangas of Arroyo’s childhood often wore more serious expressions, he gives his own creations a twist by infusing them with more radiant countenances to symbolize the lighter side of life. According to Arroyo, his aim is to depict locals and those who inspire many of his mojigangas in a humorous, large-scale way that doesn’t descend into mocking caricature.

At Casa de Sierra Nevada, Arroyo’s mojigangas are everywhere. Upon entering Casa Principal, a tiny Diego Rivera, dressed in a paint-soaked smock, gazes up from his perch inside a cloche. A small but mighty version of the masked Mexican wrestler El Santo seemingly growls from under glass in a corridor leading to the azure pool and lush

This lightheartedness can be felt throughout San Miguel de Allende, contributing to its designation in 2008 as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The toy museum La Esquina is a sanctuary for fun and a masterclass in the history of Mexican toys, which are spread throughout its maze of small rooms. Among the treasures, in one corner stands an ornate candy-coloured carousel carved from wood, while in another, a diorama featuring papier-mâché skeletons paddling tiny turquoise canoes through deepblue cardboard waves.

The theme of skeletons is common here in San Miguel. They also take shape in the artful Catrinas that grace the city’s many shops and galleries that are tucked inside colonnaded buildings bathed in shades of burnt red, pink, yellow, orange and terracotta. Ranging from fanciful to frightening, these spindly tabletop female skeletal sculptures are often dressed

“PAINT CONTAINERS IN A RAINBOW OF SHADES LINE THE TABLE; IN ONE HAND, I HOLD MY DRIPPING PAINTBRUSH, IN THE OTHER, A SPICY, SMOKY MEZCAL MARGARITA.” My creative guru, local resident artist Hermes Arroyo, shares his experiences bringing to life these traditional Mexican folk-art sculptures. They play a central role in religious celebrations as well as parades, parties and wedding festivities in this spirited Spanish-colonial town in the highlands of Guanajuato, a nearly four-hour drive northwest of Mexico City. “People aren’t just here to paint,” Arroyo emphasizes of his relaxing mojigangas workshops. Instead, he explains, his intention is to help newbies personalize the figures “to create this feeling that anyone on the street can be turned into a piece of art.”

Arroyo began learning the magic behind making mojigangas more than three decades ago, the third generation in his family to do so (his mother passed on the art, which she learned from her father, to him). Hailed as the foremost mojigangas expert in the region, if not all Mexico, he shares his love of the craft

gardens inside the Casa Palma courtyard.

In fact, a mini-mojiganga adorns each of the property’s 37 rooms and suites, adding a whimsical local touch to spaces that already include plenty of nods to art and history, whether through regional antiques or, in the case of room 484 in Casa Fuente, a one-ofa-kind bathroom door containing panels painted with the faces of martyrs and saints.

As mojigangas adorn every corner of Casa de Sierra Nevada, they also playfully populate the cobblestone streets of San Miguel.

Stepping outside the heavy wooden doors of the hotel, guests might find frolicking mojigangas twice their height. I spotted one towering papier-mâché pair merrily bobbing around, animated by people hidden inside their oversized frocks. Their dramatic backdrop: the double pink spires of the neoGothic cathedral Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, which lords over the central plaza, El Jardín.

in elegant and intricate fashions, such as a shawl covered in a kaleidoscope of butterflies.

One shopkeeper shows me illustrations on her phone of the very first Catrinas dreamed up by the Mexican artist and printmaker José Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th-century, noting they have since become an iconic symbol of the Day of the Dead.

Captivated by the cultural riches of San Miguel de Allende, my final night here is capped off at the rooftop bar Tunki by Handshake. Sipping a martini made with passionfruit, pineapple and vanilla, I watch the sun slide down the sky and light up the nearby cathedral in brilliant pink reminiscent of the vibrant hues of the intricate Catrinas.

Reflecting on how crafting a mojiganga at the magical Casa de Sierra Nevada helped me tap into the artistic side of my soul, I toast this playful town that’s deservedly earned a special place in my heart. belmond.com/hotels

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Island Spotlight: St. Maarten

Going Dutch

IN THE CARIBBEAN

Charmaine Noronha gets a taste of history, joins a crew and meets a few local characters along the way

“T

HE PLANE, THE PLANE!” I whisperedto myself almost delightedly. As I floated in the salty but sweet, sweet ocean at Maho Beach, I never would have thought I’d have – I’m dating myself here – my Fantasy Island moment as an Airbus A320 plane rumbled over me. But, unlike in Fantasy Island, there’s no mystery as to where this plane spotting takes place: the fantastical Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, famous for, well, plane spotting.

Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sint Maarten is a country on the southern part of a Caribbean island shared with Saint Martin, a French overseas collectivity. This division dates back to a treaty signed by the two countries in 1648 (Treaty of Concordia), which divided the island into two parts.

The Dutch side of the island is renowned for spotting low-flying airplanes because it sits right outside the end of the runway

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of Princess Juliana International Airport, providing the perfect spot to swim and spot ’em. But there’s so much more to the island that takes flight the minute you land on that precarious runaway. Here’s how to go Dutch in Sint Maarten with some recommendations of what to see and do.

DELVE INTO DIVERSITY Sint Maarten feels different from other Caribbean islands. It’s highly developed with more than a touch of Vegas splashed throughout. It’s vibrant and electric. Popular with Americans, it’s also vastly diverse in population and landscape, not only because of the Dutch and French influences, but also because its population includes people from more than 70 countries. You can hear everything from English-based creole, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Papiamento, a Portuguese-based creole language spoken in the Dutch Caribbean.

Its capital, Philipsburg, incorporates this diversity with streets filled with brightly painted homes, shops and restaurants influenced by a mix of Dutch, French, English and more. Grab a sorbet from Gelateria Milano and stroll the capital for a slice of history and diversity. It buzzes with beachfront bars that line the boardwalk along Great Bay and Voorstraat. Front Street is popular among cruise ship dockers for its duty-free shops and casinos. Sint Maarten Museum displays artifacts from the indigenous Arawak people. And look out for the ruins of 17th-century Fort Amsterdam, which was built by the Dutch in 1631 on a peninsula that juts out between Great Bay and Little Bay. Head to Harold Jack lookout point on Cole Bay Hill, just west of Philipsburg, to catch panoramic views of the capital. And, take in an Insta-worthy sunrise and sunset pic off Simpson Bay Lagoon, the largest inland body of water in the Caribbean.

Photographs: The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (STB); Ramon Kagie on Unplash.

SAIL AWAY Take to the waters the best way the island knows how: by sailing. Sint Maarten has become one of the best sailing regions in the Caribbean with sail-filling trade winds. Even if you’re a first time sailor, you can take to the helm by participating in the St. Maarten Twelve Metre Racing. This sailing experience has guests working as integral crew members while competing with a race boat to the finish line. It’s an exhilarating, tough, and at times, anxiety-inducing experience, but where else can you say you hoisted a sail as a first-timer?!

My team of mostly Germans visiting for the day from a cruise ship didn’t win the race, but we felt like we won in life, getting to view Sint Maarten in all its glory from an ocean vantage point.

PARROTE VILLE BIRD SANCTUARY & MUSEUM With a name like George Parotte, it was near destiny for him to open the Parotte Ville aviary. Passionate about birds and history, the affable Parrotte developed this sanctuary in 2015 to house about 140 birds, including sun conures – one of the world’s most colorful birds – and sun conure hybrids, ring-neck parakeets, black headed caiques and more.

During the 2017 hurricane that devastated the island, Parrotte cared for the birds at home while the island recovered. He’s a gem, and so is the small history museum he created on site with artifacts collected in large part from his grandparents. Ask him about the coal-fired iron or other objects and he’ll regale you with stories of his childhood for a sense of what life was like before the tourism boom.

or ingredients such as cinnamon, says chef Lennox Fleming from Fleming’s Cafe, where I get my hands dusty and doughy in his Johnnycake-making class. If you have the time, prebook a class with the lovely Fleming at flemingscafe@gmail.com.

SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS

THE JOURNEY TO JOHNNY CAKES You can’t come to Sint Maarten without taking a bite into the fried doughy goodness that are Johnny Cakes. This is a staple throughout the Caribbean with each island differing slightly in its recipe. A touch of sweetness, and light and crisp on the outside with a tender and airy centre, these bite-sized cakes also tell a story of slavery days. Johnny cakes were originally called a journey cake because they were made and packed as a lunch and snack for enslaved people about to embark on long journeys. Some historians think that colonists slurred the words, pronouncing it as johnnycakes.

In Sint Maarten, the main difference in their cakes is the rolling technique and the fact they often include special flavourings

Ride the Soualiga Sky Explorer up the mountain ridge of Sentry Hill to the steepest point in Sint Maarten for 360 degree views of the islåand. Warning: be prepared for gale force winds; I recommend not wearing a dress since I unintentionally flashed more than one unsuspecting tourist at the top! End your adventure at the Emilio Wilson Museum, which tells the stories of Trace Wilson who was born into slavery, and her direct descendant Emilio Wilson.

DIVE IN Under SXM Underwater Sculpture Park is a new eco-attraction and snorkeling expedition in Divi Little Bay consisting of a submerged gallery of more than 300 artificial reef sculptures placed along a designated trail.

The sculptures play a crucial role in creating a protected habitat for marine species to thrive, as well as generating coral reefs, but they also tell the story of Sint Maarten. vacationstmaarten.com

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4

Island Spotlight: Style + Beauty

… r o f k c a P o t What

ST. KITTS

Looking for a dreamy sun destination that embodies the spirit of quiet luxury?

This island idyll is your paradise found.

NAMED THE 2023 Caribbean Destination of the Year by Caribbean Journal, this buzzy island is famous for its dancing turquoise waters, miles of pristine white sand beaches and verdant landscapes. It’s authentic, unspoiled, and a rare gem of a vacation spot in that it offers you the chance to totally unplug, relax, rejuvenate and deeply connect with yourself.

As there are no all-inclusive resorts on the island, the experience you have staying in St. Kitts is truly personalized and bespoke. You can custom-build an indulgent island getaway entirely your way. Choose a hotel that suits your style, from chic modern luxury at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts, to sustainable beauty at the historic Belle Mont Farm (right). Create a bespoke gastro itinerary exploring the world-class cuisine. Take it slow and savour exploring the island and all its rich history.

Continue those adventures with a day trip to sister island Nevis (it’s a quick six-minute ferry ride away and home to the superb Four Seasons Resort Nevis). Today, time is our biggest luxury, and St. Kitts affords travelers the very valuable and rare opportunity to stop the clock and just be. —Alison McGill

1 1. STATEMENT MAKERS: SWAROVSKI Mixed cuts, green, gold-tone plated Gema drop earrings, $480, swarovski.com.

2. SLEEK SLIDES: HERMÈS Oran sandals, $930, hermes.com.

3. BRIGHT TIPS: SEPHORA COLLECTION, “yellow car” mini nail polish, $7,

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sephora.com/ca/en/.

4. TIMEPIECE: BULOVA x Marc Anthony Maquina watch, $675, bulova.com/ca/en.

5. BOLD BIKINI: MISSONI Chevron printed one-shoulder swimsuit, $640, missoni.com/en-ca.

6. LIQUID GOLD: FACTORFIVE Night Retinol Cream, $189, factorfiveskin.com.

7. KAFTAN CHIC: TORY BURCH Silk and viscose tunic, $328, toryburch.com.

8. SUNNY VIEW: CUTLER + GROSS Gold plated aviator sunglasses (#1266), $675, cutlerandgross.com.

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5 FRESH-FACED FLIGHT MODE Pint-sized skin care that will protect your skin from the dry air? Yes, there is such a thing. Here Jennifer Weatherhead Harrington picks five beauty products that will have your skin fresh on arrival.

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IT’S NO SECRET that the air quality on planes does absolutely nothing good for your skin. It sucks out moisture, leaving skin dry and irritated and leaves you looking less than refreshed once you land.

So how can you look like your skin didn’t even get close to one of those air vents on a plane? It’s all about creating a moisture shield – from your face to your lips to the rest of your body – that will help block dry air from stealing your glow. Here are five products that will help you land looking better than you did before take-off.

Photography: Courtesy of St. Kitts Tourism Authority and brands.

1. THE MIST, UPGRADED: LANEIGE CREAM SKIN REFINER MIST Misting with

just hydrating water is so 2020… it’s time to up the moisture ante. What you really want for the most hydration possible on that long-haul flight is a cream mist – yes, a misty, spray version of a hydrating and soothing cream is the ideal way to infuse your skin with a boost. Just give a light mist and gently smooth into your skin to give you that moisture barrier for 12 hours.

2. THE NO-NOTICE MASK: SUMMER FRIDAYS JET LAG MASK While we’re not

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beyond putting a full sheet mask on our face during a flight once the lights dim (you gotta do what you gotta do), if you want an extra skin boost minus the awkwardness of slapping on a sheet mask, this Jet Lag Mask covers your skin without any colour or residue and provides niacinamide, glycerin and hyaluronic acid – so you can sneakily feed your skin and protect it from that dry air without scaring your seatmate.

3. THE WHOLE BODY SKIN SAVER: LA ROCHE-POSAY CICAPLAST BAUME B5 For anyone who has a sensitivity or

skin condition that is only perpetuated by dry air, this baume is your rescue. Dermatologists recommend this product for skin issues ranging from severely dry, to those dealing with skin conditions and even used for post radiation treatment. So you know this cream will give your skin exactly what it needs to stay soothed. Tuck it in your bag for your hands, arms and even your face.

4. THE ESSENTIAL LIP BALM: KIEHL’S LIP BALM #1 This lip balm has

been a go-to for beauty and makeup artists to transform dry, cracked lips into a plump soft pout for years. And after testing out nearly every lip balm and lip mask out there, this one continues to be our all time favourite. It provides a barrier between your lips and dry and cold air. Slick it on before you board to keep your lips fresh for when you land.

5. THE ALL-IN-ONE TRAVEL KIT: LA MER REPLENISHING MOISTURE COLLECTION Treat your skin to first-class

service with La Mer’s mini collection of hydration essentials. Sure, it’s pricey, but your skin deserves it – and the brand has been a long-standing go-to for a reason, because it works. The 4-step collection is meant to leave you with nourished, radiant skin – no matter how long that flight is. From a treatment lotion to eye cream, an emulsion and finishing off with the classic Crème de la Mer.

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Island Spotlight: Dominican Republic

SUN, SAND & SERENITY When a wellness warrior takes to the Dominican Republic to find her balance and bliss, she discovers sanctuary at a health-focused all-inclusive resort. BY CHARMAINE NORONHA

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HEN I SPEAK ABOUT ENERGY, I’m referring to everything that exists, because everything that exists has a frequency and energy,” says Jessica Borraccino, as she sits cross-legged before a small ensemble of crystal sound bowls, a rain stick and gong.

I’ve used my own waning energy, impacted by the Dominican Republic’s notable humidity during hurricane season, to slowly saunter into a dimly lit room at Meliá Punta Cana Beach Resort. Yoga mats line the front of the room, and I settle into a spot, excited to participate in a sound bath.

A sound bath is an ancient healing ritual using instruments to elicit sound waves

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released by crystal bowls to induce a feeling of deep relaxation during meditation. The vibrations produced have the ability to slow your brain wave patterns, creating more delta waves, which are the dominant waves present during sleep.

“Crystal sound bowls produce a vibrational sound that resonates with your chakras to help rebalance your body,” further explains Borraccino, who is originally from Italy, but has relocated to Punta Cana to facilitate yoga, meditation and holistic wellness services.

While I’ve attempted to realign my chakras and access deep relaxation at several sound baths over the years, I’ve never done so at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort. And that is what drew me to this hotel.

As a health-conscious yogini who is less inclined to buffet-and-bar it up, all-inclusive

resorts haven’t always piqued my interest.

However, when I discovered Meliá Punta Cana Beach Resort had an adults-only, wellness-inclusive program, this island-gal-atheart was downward dogging in delight.

The resort’s “Wellbeing 360 Experience” launched in 2020. This wellness program offers activities and rituals that are included in the daily rate, which are designed to connect guests with their physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and social selves. Its offerings include yoga, meditation, healthy culinary classes, bike tours, botanical garden workshops and fire ritual ceremonies. The hotel’s relaunch also included revamped wellness spaces such as its Silent Spaces that offer solo painting, sound healing spots, reading pods and labyrinth walks. The hotel’s fitness facility has also been upgraded with

Photographs: Melia Punta Cana Beach Resort

new equipment and group classes.

Concurrently, the resort also launched 24 “Level Wellness Suites” among the resort’s 178 Level suites, Meliá Hotel & Resorts VIP suites. These Level Wellness Suites include one spa treatment per day per person, a personal wellness concierge and a personal bicycle to explore the resort. Features in the suites include guided meditations from American author and wellness advocate Dr. Deepak Chopra, mood enhancing aromatherapy, dawn simulation to wake you gradually and gently, and a shower infuser that reduces chlorine.

As part of Wellbeing 360, guests can also experience the resort’s Yhi Spa. The 2,200-square foot space features seven suites with private outdoor showers, and three couples’ suites with a private Jacuzzi. ¡Si, si por favor to all of this! So, I took full advantage of All. The. Things.

My meandering mornings would begin with strolling the gorgeous grounds, winding my way through extensive tropical flora and fauna and verdant lush gardens to the resort’s open-air beachfront yoga studio. Here, my body almost melted into the yoga moves and forward folds overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the humidity acting as a natural hot yoga studio. After an hour of hatha yoga, I would sweep the sweat off my brow and settle in for an hour of deep breathing meditation.

Also known as breathwork, I’m soothed by the sounds of ocean waves lapping up against the shore for the ultimate calm-inducing soundtrack.

Ready to refuel, a jaunt to the BALANCE Juice Boutique provides a splash of healthy nourishment before heading to a cooking class. On today’s menu: a poke party in our mouths. Bowls of kale, shrimp, avocado, carrots, pepper, chia seeds and more line a table. A nutritionist breaks down the nutrient values per bowl and then we’re off to create our own healthy, tasty lunch.

To top off my well-rounded wellness program: the spa, of course! Pools of water surrounded by muted tones of taupe and cream, accented with the greenery of hanging

plants, help usher in a sense of calm. My massage therapist greets me with the warmest of smiles before guiding me into a warmly lit treatment room. I’m tickled to try the resort’s special Larimar hot stone body massage.

Larimar is a semi-precious beautiful blue and white stone with a marbled appearance found only in the Dominican Republic. The rare blue variety of the silicate mineral pectolite is known to have many healing properties and helps with stress-related imbalances and inflammation. It is known to target the third eye and crown chakras.

The treatment begins with the sweet aroma of moringa oils wafted around the room before the therapist begins needling my always-tense muscles. Post massage, larimar hot stones are placed on the skin, eliciting a sense of warmth and calm. The therapist explains that using larimar stones to induce chakra restoration aids in relieving muscle tension, and reduces stress and anxiety. I feel like jelly in her hands in the best way possible.

The precious stones elicit a precious experience. Relaxed and reflective, I feel blessed to have experienced the warmth and wellness of the Dominican Republic.

I cap it all off by wandering to the beach to catch a candy-coloured sunset for the perfect way to end a perfect day for this wellness warrior.

WHEN YOU GO: Nearby Meliá properties include its “signature” Punta Cana resort, the Paradisus, which recently launched an adultsonly section called “The Reserve,” an oasis of serenity. The Reserve Lounge has premiumbrand drinks and snacks, the Reserve pool and a private beach area with waiter service on Bávaro beach.

Falcon’s Resort by Meliá is a five-star all-inclusive resort also located on Bávaro beach. This newly rebranded property brings “resortainment” to the Caribbean with a new theme park, Katmandu Park, filled with rides, games and food trucks galore! Included in the “resortainment” is family yoga (and sunset yoga at the beach), dance lessons, movie nights, painting workshops, foam parties and aqua aerobics. melia.com/en/hotels/dominican-republic

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Explore for 2024: Florida

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Photography: Courtesy of the brands and destinations: (Visit Sarasota), (Visit Tampa Bay), (VisitStPeteClearwater.com) (Imagine Museum), (Boulon Brasserie)

The west coast of Florida has its share of sports teams and snowbirds, but suddenly the cool kids of all ages are showing up.

Vivian Vassos visits a trifecta of Gulf-side towns to get the score.

Clearwater Beach, one of the best beaches in the St. Pete/Clearwater area of Florida

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Scenes from Sarasota: The Ibis playground at The Bay Park; Ca’ d’Zan, John Ringling’s home, on the grounds of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art; (above) a pool view at the Sarasota Modern hotel.

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ELICANS FLY OVERHEAD, winging slowly, prehistoric throwbacks with wide bills piercing the air like spears. Gulls follow in their wake, faster, white swirls against cerulean blue streaking down toward the sea.

The palms are swaying in the breeze, fan-like fronds catching the warm air as it passes. It’s a peaceful moment, with the steady sound of the ocean waves lapping at the beach’s edge, broken only as a gull cries its shrill call; a puff of cloud floats by, tempering the sun’s yellow light.

This is my view; lying on my back near the water’s edge at The Bay in Sarasota, Fla, waiting for Namaste at The Bay, the first outdoor free yoga class of the season (it’s been raining – a lot: A hurricane had just missed the area the week before). People of all ages are slowly arriving, it’s an unfurling woosh of colourful yoga mats and beach towels, fit and meditative types staking their spot to get the best vantage point from which to see the instructor. Older yogis, girl’s night out gaggles, a cute guy unrolling his boyfriend’s mat to save him a place, a few single ladies, and me. We stretch, we breathe, we stretch some more, the instructor’s voice is soothing and encouraging.

The Bay Park complex on Boulevard of the Arts off Sarasota Bay is fairly new, and it’s part of the Rosemary District’s downtown refurb; I’m staying at The Sarasota Modern just a stroll up the street; the hotel is also a short walk to the Sarasota Opera House on Pineapple Avenue and onward to Main Street, where there are art galleries and locally-loved restaurants with sidewalk tables for people watching. On some nights, the city will close it off to cars, and vendors will set up booths to entice people to come and experience the

revitalized neighbourhood.

Between yoga by the sea and sipping on a signature cocktail at Selva Downtown Sarasota, I’m feeling rather revitalized myself.

The atmosphere is relaxed formality; sure, that sounds counterintuitive; the staff uniforms and white tablecloths say fine-dining, but the servers are free of affectation, unstuffy and happy; the food is Latin Fusion, Peruvian with a helping of Asian in the mix. If the patio is open, book a sidewalk table, which affords an opportunity to spy locals and travellers, and breathe in the sea air coming up off the marina where the street meets the surf.

A few days earlier, I found myself in the company of a different kind of local.

In a grassy little courtyard, it’s me and the chickens. I’m in La Sétima in Ybor City, one of Tampa Bay’s oldest neighbourhoods – a Latin Quarter established in 1885 by Cuban, Italian, Spanish and German immigrants, as a centre for cigar making. Some cigar rolling shops still dot the main street, but you’ll also find vintage shops, tattoo parlours, boutique hotels and, yes, the chickens, who roam free on the lawn at the Parque Amigos de José Marti at La Casa de Pedroso (the home of Cuban patriot Paulina Pedroso, and a refuge for the Cuban freedom fighter Marti), built in 1893, a monument to some of Ybor’s original citizens. I’ve taken the TECO historic streetcar line from downtown to get here; it’s a vintage trolley-style electric streetcar; all wooden interiors, antique fixtures, clanging bells and whistles and free to ride from downtown to Ybor City. It takes about 20 minutes, and what fun! It helps bring the journey back in time to a place in the city that’s equally historic.

Columbia Restaurant, owned by the Gonzmart family, covers a whole city block on E. Seventh Avenue; it’s Florida’s oldest restaurant, and anchors the Latin Quarter (there’s another outpost at St. Armands Circle en route to Longboat Key). It’s been serving up a mix of Cuban, Italian and Spanishinspired cuisine and on a full-house night, feeds more than 1,700 guests, served by tuxedo-clad waiters and waitresses, who have a wonderful knowledge of the food – like they’ve worked there forever. It reminds me of the banquet halls from back in the day.

Matching chairs, travertine-style floors, white arches and little rooms and dining nooks tucked in every corner of the restaurant. In the back room, you feel like you’re at a family wedding. We order the famous house salad, The 1905, which is prepared at table with cheese, Spanish olive oil, oregano, garlic, and more, perhaps a novel dressing for diners of

the 1940s when it was created; it’s a little bit of theatre, but then, the lights dim.

A Spanish guitar strum cuts through the hush; dark-haired beauties emerge from backstage, skirts swishing, heels clicking, red lips and severe centre-parted hair only enhance their beauty. Boom, their heels come down on the stage; the music begins, and we’re treated to the swirl of Flamenco, performed by a local dance troupe. Flashes of white teeth are matched by flashes of crinoline skirts, eyes flare and smile, or convey heartache and heartbreak as they dance.

Graceful arms reach out as if to pull you into the dance, to feel the intense emotion that is translated into movement. Click, clock, click, clock, boom, boom, the stage floor rumbles, accompanied by hands clapping the off-kilter Latin beat; you can feel it in your body, your soul.

My body was feeling very well taken care of, particularly after experiencing a massage at the Spa by JW at the JW Marriott on Tampa Bay’s shiny modern Water Street. The space is on the same floor as the outdoor pool, not quite rooftop, but about 6 storeys up.

The spa’s ethos is very personalized (I know, shouldn’t they all be that way?), giving the guest permission to customize how their treatment is going to go. The spa has a myriad of treatments, but many can be modified (within reason) to really address what ails you.

I’ve booked an 80-minute massage, and my therapist, Jennifer, is one of the best I’ve ever had. The pressure is perfect, she intuitively allows my body to lead under her touch, when she feels my body resist, she changes tack, moving on to an area that is more receiving of the therapy. After a very early flight, I feel refreshed and relaxed.

The JW Marriott is also in a great location if you like to see and be seen. The nightlife scene on Water Street has come into its own over the past few years, acting as chic storefronts for the towering offices and condo developments above. Boulon Brasserie is leading the Tampa Bay charge; restaurateur Jeff Gigante is a St. Pete native who honed his hospitality chops in New York City and knows how to feed people well, in a beautiful space; this one opened in January 2023.

Speaking of which, the space was designed by the Montreal-based Atelier Zebulon Perron, and brasserie it is: waiters wear aprons, brass surfaces shine, beveled mirrors reflect a backlit bar, oversized windows are embossed with golden lettering, all adding a soupçon of Parisian flair to the airy place, without the pretension. “I don’t do chef-driven restaurants, I do concept restaurants,” Gigante tells me,

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Blue Madonna Installation at The Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg; (Opposite, clockwise from top) French fare at Boulon Brasserie; the TECO historic trolley; and cigar rolling in Ybor City, all Tampa; a room at The Ringling, Sarasota.

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“As the sun begins its skyward climb, the temperature of the sand stays constant, cool and never burning, just right”

Siesta Key Beach, near Sarasota.

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“it’s about the food. Of course, I’ve got talented people cooking it, but the focus is on what’s on the plate and how the guests enjoy themselves.” There’s also a boulangerie, so you can have that fresh-baked flaky croissant first thing.

With the Riverwalk a few steps away, it’s easy to go for a stroll to bust the jet lag or burn off the food but it’s also a great way to get around if you’re a walker like me. It covers about 4 kilometres, lining the banks of the Hillsborough River and Garrison Channel, and acts as a sort of connector of the area’s museums and other attractions. The Tampa Museum of Art, for example, a small but mighty modern/contemporary gallery laid out in a pattern so that you experience all the galleries as you go, inspired me to research modern Haitian and Mexican artists; a treasure-trove of Ancient Greek, Roman and Etruscan, and two pieces of note, the sculptures Mujer Vestida, by Fernando Botero, and Patricia Cronin’s Aphrodite Reimagined.

The Henry B. Plant Museum, the Tampa Bay History Center and The Florida Aquarium also make their home along the river. And, you can purchase the Riverwalk Attraction Pass, which gives you access at discounted prices.

The Pirate Water Taxi is not what it sounds like, there’s no skull and crossbones flying (although Tampa’s city logo, a lock and crossed keys, does resemble that somewhat), or Jack Sparrow downing rum, but there is a group of young people that enthusiastically welcome me on board. The skipper takes passengers from one end to the other of this section of Hillsborough River, while his first mate gives an overview of the area and sites you might see as you float past, wind blowing in your hair. Local knowledge aside, the crew all come with a sense of humour and a friendly, “I love my city” attitude. They oooh and ahh when I reveal I’m on my way to the Armature Works and the Heights Public Market for a quick drink before sitting down to dinner at Tampa Bay’s Michelin star Rocca, located in the historic Tampa Heights district.

Seasonal Italian is on the menu under the guidance of chef Bryce Bonsack. The table next to us has ordered the fresh mozzarella cart, rolled out tableside, and the server is slowly stretching and stirring, stretching and swirling, a pound of cow’s milk cheese melted down, until it resembles a ball of what we know as mozzarella, then laid on a platter with heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil; another bit of dinner theatre to get the appetite juices flowing.

My own performance art comes a few days later. A torch is blasting blue flame, this time, coloured tubes of glass melted at a volcanic heat and stretched like maple candy, brought back to the flame to kiss another colour and meld to create a new tone. At Zen Glass Studio in St. Petersburg, glass-blowing artists hold classes and wield their own torches to create spectacular, well, spectacles of glass.

I’ve come up with a goblet, a mix of blues and lavender. Only the day before, I'd been dazzled at the Imagine Museum, with its world-class collection of contemporary glass art. From Laura Donefer’s crystalline explosions of flameworked and blown glass (Ice Storm Amulet Basket), to Anthony James’ life-sized trick of the eye steel, glass and LED lights Portal Icosahedron, to the cast-glass wonders of Peter Bremers (Passion), it’s room after room of eye-candy wonder. I could have gotten lost in the collection for far more than the two hours I spent there. Glass blowing? More like mind blowing.

I’d had another mind-blowing experience just the day before at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the museum and home that circus baron John Ringling and his wife Mable built, and I needed to get in a meditative moment. Some say Sarasota itself was built by Ringling and his circus, putting the town on the map. The Museum of Art features some of Peter Paul Rubens’ most important works, but who’s counting when there are more than 45,000 pieces in the collection, including Baroque masterpieces, European Old Masters, along with Asian and American art. His house, Ca’ d’Zan, is open to the public for tours, transporting one to the grand palazzos of Venice.

But that was then; now, on my last day, I let my mind wander and go old-school Florida.

Siesta Key, a strip of island just off Sarasota, is my destination. The free Siesta Key Breeze trolley drives by en route to the flip-flops and board-shorts surf culture casual bars and restos at Siesta Village as I pull into the parking lot at Siesta Beach. A minute later, my toes are digging into some of the whitest-as-snow sand I’ve ever seen. It’s powder, soft on my soles and soothing for my soul. On this day, it’s not crowded (although its vast expanse probably keeps it feeling so even a peak); the secret is out, however, as Siesta Key is consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in Florida.

As the sun begins its skyward climb, the temperature of the sand stays constant, cool and never burning, just right. The gulls cry their shrill cries, the pelicans wing overhead, yes, all is just right. visitflorida.com

WHEN YOU GO: STAY: The Vinoy, St. Petersburg This near-century Grand Dame of a hotel was once a stately home until it was launched as a resort in 1926; now it’s part of the Autograph Collection, and an elegant ode to Southern charm and beauty. Guests take coffee and cocktails on the front veranda that spans the width of the house, taking in views of the park, with its marina and boats bobbing in the wake, all white sails and chrome. The proprietors have made the brilliant move of building the lobby bar on said veranda, making it a natural gathering place for happy hour and sundowners. The pool imagines Beverly Hills in the silver screen era, and the guest suites are grand without being overwrought. It’s still going through careful renovations in some of its ballrooms and restaurant spaces, a painstaking process to preserve and bring out the stunning bones of the hotel. Named to the National Registry of Historic Places, it’s also a stone’s throw from Beach Drive, a dining hotspot, and not far from the trippy Dalí Museum. thevinoy.com

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Explore for 2024: Cruise

SAIL NEXT Whether ocean, river, expedition or closer to home, here are the trips on ships to book now. BY LIZ FLEMING

OCEAN: REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES THE SHIP: Seven Seas Explorer THE DATE: October 18, 2024 NAME OF THE VOYAGE OR EXCURSION: Dreams of Japan THE ITINERARY: Sail round trip from Tokyo,

visiting such ports as Shimizu, Kyoto (Kobe), Kochi, Hiroshima, Busan (South Korea), Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Miyazaki.

THE ULTRA-LUXE OPTION: Enjoy a four-day pre-cruise immersion in the culture of Tokyo, including the Tokyo National Museum and the Ginza area, considered one of the most luxurious shopping areas in the world, the Asakusa Senso-ji Temple, founded in the early 7th century and more.

MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE: After visiting ancient Nara, the cradle of Japanese art, literature and crafts, with its magnificent shrines and temples, look for the deer that live in Nara Park, near the stunning Kasuga Grand Shrine, Later, tour Osaka’s imposing castle and then, in Kobe, dine on world famous Kobe beef, exquisitely prepared and served. rssc.com

RIVER: AMAWATERWAYS THE SHIP: AmaCello THE DATE: May 2, 2024 NAME OF THE VOYAGE OR EXCURSION: Flavors of Burgundy THE ITINERARY: Sail from the port of Dijon,

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with stops in Seurre, Chalon-sur- Saône, Tournus, and Mâcon, ending your adventure in Lyon.

THE ULTRA-LUXE OPTION: Spend three nights pre-cruise exploring Paris, the City of Lights and another three, post-cruise, enjoying all your travel memories and creating new ones in Geneva.

MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE: Gear up and cycle through the Burgundy region on bikes provided by the hospitable crew aboard your ship. Peddle and peruse the beautiful countryside on the banks of the River Saône, in charming Tournus-Macôn, or along the pathways of Lyon. amawaterways.ca

EXPEDITION: SILVERSEA THE SHIP: Silver Origin THE DATE: April 6, 2024 NAME OF THE VOYAGE OR EXCURSION: Galapagos Islands THE ITINERARY: Join a privileged group of

just 100 guests to visit 17 islands in the remote Galapagos chain, the birthplace of Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species” and a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. Embark and disembark at San Cristóbal.

THE ULTRA-LUXE OPTION: Luxuriate in your private ocean view suite with private teak verandah, and enjoy the afternoon hors d’oeuvres delivered by your butler.

MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE: Swim in aquamarine waters with seals and sea lions, and explore remote islands to photograph

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER What’s next for river journeys, according to the power couple of river cruising, Kristin Karst and Rudi Schreiner, the cofounders of the award-winning AmaWaterways.

albatross, penguins, frigate birds, ancient tortoises, iridescent marine lizards and more.

Nowhere else in the world will you find these rare creatures living without fear of human predation – it’s an experience you’ll never forget. silversea.com

Photography: AmaWaterways; Bartholdi Fountain in Lyon, France by Jonne Mäkikyrö, Sea Lion from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador by Amy Perez

CLOSER TO HOME: SCENIC LUXURY CRUISES AND TOURS THE SHIP: Ms Volendam (A Holland America ship, working in cooperation with Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours) THE DATE: May 24, 2024 NAME OF THE VOYAGE OR EXCURSION: Eastern Explorer and

Maritimes Cruise

THE ITINERARY: Embark in the multicultural city of Toronto, then visit a wealth of Canadian and U.S. destinations that include Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Québec City, Montréal, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, and Bar Harbour before you reach historic Boston.

THE ULTRA-LUXE OPTION: Enjoy an exclusive walking tour of old Québec City’s grandest highlights, led by a well-informed guide. Be sure to have a glass of wine in the elegant Bistro Le Sam at the Château Frontenac, reputedly the world’s most photographed hotel.

MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE: No visit to Niagara Falls is complete without the grand adventure of sailing into the mighty mouth of the Falls themselves aboard a City Tours catamaran. Prepare to be swept away by the experience. scenic.ca

River cruising is hotter than ever.

So much so that AmaWaterways is stepping up its calendar, and putting two of its ships in the water beginning February 11, 2024. The AmaMagna and the AmaLucia will set sail on the Rhine and Danube rivers. It’s in response to savvy travellers who are tuned into the luxuries of “offseason” travel – fewer crowds and lower airfares – while giving back to the local economy during a time of year when the hospitality industry could use a boost. And the company will extend its season into December, with additional cruises on the Douro River in Portugal. ‘’We have an ongoing commitment to implementing eco-friendly practices, and offer an early season start for those seeking more intimate experiences,” says Schreiner. Less crowds can also help to leave a softer environmental footprint on the community, which appeals to a broader group of mindful travellers. “We are excited to see that travellers of all ages and those with special interests are driving a record level of river cruise bookings for the year ahead.’’

Speaking of the year ahead, in November 2024, Karst and Schreiner will be launching in Colombia, on the Magdalena River.

“For me, travelling is about exploring cultures,” says Schreiner. “When I got my first passport at 21, I drove from Vienna to Nepal. The next year I drove from New York to Peru, and then spent 7 months in the Amazon, building a raft. It’s where I started – on a raft.” Karst has always encouraged cultural immersion in a region’s heritage and, just like the company’s Oktoberfest celebrations when cruising Europe, guests will

get to take part in a weekly Carnaval celebration in Barranquilla, along the Magdalena. “There’s no longer a fear of Colombia; the people are a very charming, welcoming, extremely warm group,” adds Schreiner, “and there’s lots to see, lots of culture – and Cartagena is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.”

“The trend is small ships,” says Karst. “And the guests want a more intimate ship.” With 64 guests, the AmaMagdalena fits the bill (its sister ship, the AmaMelodia will join in 2025), with a front row seat to jazz street performances in Mompox, and Cumbia, the traditional dance of the region of El Banco, as well as exploring the Ciénaga lake district and its distinct flora and fauna. For Schreiner, it’s personal.

“I always enjoyed new cultures, new adventures, and I enjoy being in places that are new to explore.”

Colombia, here we come. amawaterways.ca

—Vivian Vassos

Cartagena, Colombia

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Explore for 2024: Nova Scotia

Photography: Destination Cape Breton Association

WINTER WONDER

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An unexpected skier's paradise in Atlantic Canada.

Darcy Rhyno hits the slopes.

HE SWISH, swish of the skis and big lungfuls of refreshing winter air come with spectacular views down steep slopes to the Atlantic Ocean.

Nova Scotia isn’t the first destination that comes to mind when thinking of winter fun, but the unexpected makes the province’s snowy, sporty options all the more enticing.

Pausing in mid run is the biggest temptation faced by those who choose Ski Cape Smokey, the province’s only slope with a drop of more than 300 metres. The view of nearby Cape Breton Highlands National Park is matched only by the majestic Atlantic, a scene that’s stopped many a skier in their tracks.

Just as tempting is the view over Bras d’Or Lake – an inland arm of the Atlantic – 100 kilometres south at Ski Ben Eoin. Hidden away in eastern Cape Breton, Ben Eoin boasts 11 downhill runs, a snowboard park and groomed trails for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

Two hills on mainland Nova Scotia – Ski Wentworth and Ski Martock, both within 90 minutes of Halifax – are popular downhill destinations. From beginners to competitive racers, many flock to these modest mountains when the snow flies. All four downhill locations have lifts, equipment rental and instructors.

For the truly adventurous, winter enthusiasts head for Nova Scotia parks and trails. Many are open all winter for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Hike Nova Scotia hosts a winter hiking series that doubles as a snowshoeing outing, depending on weather.

Back in Cape Breton, many head out for a day of cross country in the national park, especially those stopped in their tracks in the middle of their downhill runs at Ski Cape Smokey. novascotia.com

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(Clockwise from above) “Casa Estrecha” (Narrow House), old San Juan; Hotel La Concha; murals in Santurce; the Palacio Provincial rooftop. (Opposite) Poolside at Fairmont El San Juan; Dreamcatcher Hotel.

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Photography: Courtesy of the brands; Discover Puerto Rico.

The Bold Decoder

With a thriving café society, great food, engaging history and a gorgeous strip of beaches, San Juan delivers on so many levels.

BY DOUG WALLACE

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ENTURIES-OLD FORTS anchor one of the Caribbean’s coolest and oldest towns, one filled with pastel colours, blue cobblestones, a lively nightlife and blissful, balmy afternoons.

Welcome to San Juan, your new favourite getaway. This safe and hospitable city is more than back up to speed, coming a long way since the havoc of not one but two hurricanes.

Now, the whole of Puerto Rico is its old, salsa-fuelled self, the territory kinship with the United States lending an icing of familiarity.

San Juan’s proximity to the huge marina at Fajardo and the El Yunque National Forest lets you stay in town yet still be close enough to ample watersports and incredibly scenic hiking – giving you the best of both worlds.

BOHO-CHIC IN OCEAN PARK Dreamers Welcome offers retro-flavoured accommodation via a 19-room boutique Dreamcatcher Hotel plus 40 high-design, selfcheck-in holiday apartments, most of them clustered within the city’s gated Ocean Park community. Homespun vintage accents and vegetarian menus rule, and the beach is a short walk away. dreamerswelcome.com HIP WITH THE CONDADO CROWD An upscale, cool-kid aura permeates the 96-room Condado Ocean Club, delivering stylish, luxe vibes. The infinity pool

overlooking the golden sand of Condado Beach has a beach-club feel, complete with azure-accented alcoves and little bar carts for rosé-soaked afternoons. condadooceanclub.com

LUXE LIVING IN ISLA VERDE Close to the airport, the Morris Lapidusdesigned Fairmont El San Juan is a solid classic. If only the walls could talk. Airy, contemporary rooms are polished and pretty, while a dozen bars and restaurants help you fuel the furnace. elsanjuanhotel.com

WHERE TO STAY

Within Old Town or along the city’s string of tranquil beaches, the range of accommodations in San Juan suits a variety of tastes and budgets.

SMART DIGS IN OLD TOWN Stately but never stuffy, the Palacio Provincial was once a government building, its history woven into a sophisticated and high-ceilinged hideaway. A striking, modern library separates two calm courtyards and a rooftop pool leaves you to your own little world. palacioprovincial.com

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WHERE TO EAT

The range of gastronomy in this town covers a lot of ground – from traditional comfort food to innovative small-plate snacks to sophisticated fine dining.

SIMPLE HEART-AND-SOUL FOOD The Cuban-Puerto Rican menu at Ropa Vieja Grill is a hit with the locals as well as the hungry guests in the adjacent Condado hotels.

Garlic up your night with the classic mofongo, one of the most delicious national dishes. The front patio offers the best people-watching. ropaviejagrill.com

CARIBBEAN-ASIAN FUSION The Asian-inspired Raya by Mario Pagán on the main floor of the tony O:LV 55 Hotel is a scintillating mix of flavours from Korea, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam amid dizzying tiled flooring and elegant moss green furnishings.

Sake- and whiskey-infused cocktails start your night off right. olvhotel.com/restaurants CASUAL FOOD-TRUCK COOKIN’ Diners feel like they’ve stumbled into a country fair in the middle of the city at Lote 23, an outdoor food court in the Santurce

Tuna Poke Pegaíto from Raya by Mario Pagán; (below left) empanadas from Los Proiceres, Lote 23; cocktails at Casita de Rones.

neighbourhood. Simple picnic tables are ringed with kiosks whipping up mofongo, fried chicken, fish tacos, pizza, burgers and cocktails, too. lote23.com BRUNCH WITH A TWIST Named after the Audrey Hepburn movie, Sabrina Brunch & Bistro Bar is a little plantfilled enclave on the high street near Ocean Park. Expect healthful, creative Caribbean dishes and fresh seafood, plus a mean burger and fries. Brunch is big.

A SAN JUAN RITE OF PASSAGE El Hamburguer has been flipping burgers up the road from Escambron Beach since the 1960s, pleasing everyone from surfers to famous singers. Slap-dash service is welcoming, fast and fun. Have the sweet potato fries.

WHERE TO DRINK

From molecular mixology to the dive-bar shots, the culture of drinking throughout the city leaves no stone unturned.

HANG OUT ON THE STRIP The home of the $5 mojito, El Cafetín is an icon of the Calle San Sebastian bar strip in

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Old San Juan, almost like the thermometer of the street. Chaotic but friendly, it's a great starting point for tequila front-end loading before a night of dancing. The sidewalk is where the action is.

FIND FOUR BARS IN ONE Well-known as a backdrop for the “Despacito” music video, La Factoria is a dimly lit labyrinth of fun also on San Sebastian. Beyond the graffiti-filled walls of the front bar are five more bars, a maze of people and different styles of music. Stick around for live salsa at midnight on the weekend. 10defacto.com HEAD TO THE MARKET HANGOUT La Placita de Santurce is a square of bars and food kiosks ringing an iconic food market, coming alive after dark. The trick here is to bar-hop through the different chinchorros – inexpensive bar/cafés. If you don’t know how to salsa, you soon will.

SHAKE IT UP TROPICAL-STYLE Just around the corner from La Placita sits Jungle Bird. The tropical atmosphere comes complete with bamboo furnishings, tons of plants and sexy yellow and red neon. They take their made-from-scratch cocktails just as seriously as the delicious small plates.

(Clockwise, from left) A guide from the Spoon Experience food tour; El Hilo Rojo/The Red Thread mural, Arroyo; El Yunque Rainforest.

WHAT TO DO AND SEE

Photography: Courtesy Of The Brands; Discover Puerto Rico.

Everything in this vibrant city has an engaging story that goes along with it. Let the tales unravel from the historic forts to the hills of the cloud forest.

STEP BACK IN TIME Founded by the Spanish in 1521, the Castillo San Felipe del Morro – a.k.a. El Morro – is one of the oldest fortifications in North America and a great place to begin your San Juan history lesson. Save time for weaving around the ornate graves of the adjacent Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzi Cemetery. Your ticket to El Morro also gets you into nearby Castillo San Cristóbal.

OGLE THE STREET ART The Art Walk PR is a must-do walking tour of the colourful murals of La Calle Cerra in Santurce. Works from local and international artists line the storefronts, side walls and alleyways, revealing interesting details about the neighbourhood’s past. Side-steps into various art spaces flesh out the fun. theartwalkpr.com

LET THE FOOD TELL THE STORY The excellent Spoon Experience food tour covers a lot of gastronomic ground – revealing the history, music, art and architecture of the city and the whole island. Expert guides relate the background of the island through its food, with stops fitting in everything from coffee to cafés to cocktails. thespoonexperience.com

FIND ROOM FOR RUM The 1880 founder of San Juan’s oldest rum distillery used to carry a little barrel of his product around under his arm, giving prospective buyers a taste. Ron del Barrilito continues to thrive, offering tours of the hacienda and mixology classes. rondelbarrilito.com

GET OUT OF DODGE The eco-paradise that is El Yunque Rainforest is an hour away by car, with plenty of fresh air, amazing scenery and sparkling rivers across 12,000 hectares. Puerto Rico also has not one but two bioluminescent bays, where microscopic algae produce an ethereal glow at night when your kayak paddle hits the water. discoverpuertorico.com

BOLDTRAVELLER.CA

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YES, I DO! | THE GUIDE

DESTINATION ROMANCE

Take a break from being the planner. Here, we pick five of the best all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings, so that you don’t have to. BY MEAGAN DRILLINGER

1. EXCELLENCE PLAYA MUJERES, CANCUN, MEXICO

Mexico is blessed with idyllic all-inclusive resort after idyllic all-inclusive resort. It’s not a bad problem to have, except when you’re trying to narrow down the best all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings in Mexico.

Enter Excellence Playa Mujeres. Perched on a stretch of white, fluffy sand just north of the Cancun Hotel Zone, Excellence Playa Mujeres has a stunning backdrop for the most beautiful Mexican Caribbean wedding.

The adults-only, all-inclusive resort offers onsite wedding experts, as well as a variety of packages for different styles and budgets. Couples can choose from beachfront weddings or elegant ballrooms, waterfront gazebos, or glitzy terraces.

Additional wedding services include flower arrangements, photography, couples’ spa packages, hair and makeup, music, and fireworks.

For the wedding guests, the resort is all-suite, each one with oversized jacuzzis and private terraces. Consider booking the Excellence Club Suites, which come with additional perks like private check-in and in-suite sparkling wine on arrival. A reservation at the Miilé Spa is a must, as well.

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excellenceresorts.com

2. SECRETS CAP CANA, PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

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YES I DO VOLUME IIII | 2024

Overlooking the sparkling white sands of Juanillo Beach in Cap Cana, Secrets Cap Cana is an adults-only hideaway perfect for Caribbean all-inclusive weddings. The resort has its own wedding coordinator that will help curate each couples' wedding vision. Whether couples are looking for an intimate elopement or the ultimate all-out bash, Secrets Cap Cana has a customizable wedding package to match.

The couple-of-honour, as well as their guests can check into one of the 457 suites,

from the bungalows to the swim-out suites, or the swanky Preferred Club suites. Each room comes with a private balcony or terrace, 24-hour room service included, a daily refreshed minibar and a soaking tub.

Tip: Upgrade to the Preferred Club for an exclusive lounge, separate pool and beach area, and special concierge service.

Guests can enjoy the seven a la carte restaurants, but for something even more romantic (it is a wedding, after all), plan for a meal on the beach. hyattinclusivecollection.com

3. ALILA VENTANA BIG SUR, BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA

3

The California coastline isn't necessarily famous for its all-inclusive resorts, but Alila Ventana Big Sur is one of the rare few — and is absolutely worth a mention. This adultsonly resort sits high above the crashing waves of coastal California.

In addition to dramatic Big Sur views, its 59 guest rooms and suites went fully all-inclusive in 2020. Each room has its own balcony or private deck and a soaking tub.

Ask about which rooms offer hot tubs and fireplaces.

When it comes to destination weddings, Alila Ventana Big Sur can set the scene with stunning ocean views or nestled deep in the redwoods. It also has several packages based on budget and group size. Its most elite wedding package can accommodate up to 40 guests. Guests can also inquire about buyouts for parties larger than 40. ventanabigsur.com

4. KOKOMO PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT, YAUKUVE LEVU ISLAND, FIJI

Tropical islands are the dream backdrops for a destination wedding, so if you've got the budget for a truly epic tropical wedding, why not head to Kokomo Private Island in Fiji? Set on the Great Astrolabe Reef, the stunning private island is the perfect spot to host the wedding of your dreams.

The resort offers three bespoke packages for couples, whether they are planning an elopement for two, an intimate wedding, or a buyout of the entire island. The island has many different venues to choose from, whether you want a toes-in-the-sand ceremony or one from the hilltop residences with its panoramic views. Weddings can include cocktail receptions, a private yacht charter, fabulous brunches on the sand. If you can dream up your perfect private island fantasy, Kokomo can likely make it happen for you.

Villas are open-air plans with large living areas and kitchenettes, outdoor showers, and deep soaking tubs. All villas also have private pools and direct beach access. What could possibly be more romantic than that? kokomoislandfiji.com

5. SANDALS ROYAL BAHAMIAN, NASSAU, BAHAMAS

But back to those picturesque white sand beaches and palm trees. Sandals Royal Bahamian is a fabulous resort for all-inclusive destination weddings in the Caribbean because it is a resort that was designed exclusively for couples. Think cozy, candlelit dining venues and private soaking tubs in the rooms and suites.

4

For weddings, Sandals is one of the best in the business for arranging customizable Caribbean weddings. Mix and match decor options all the way from colours and flowers to finishing touches. Plus, couples who stay seven nights receive up to $1500 in perks.

But guests can also arrange to have their wedding completely free at Sandals Royal Bahamian. When couples book three nights or more, they are gifted a free wedding, which includes a ceremony venue, a bouquet, boutonniere, a cake and more.

One of the jewels in the Sandals crown, couples love this resort for its two massive pools, 12 dining options, the Red Lane Spa, and the brand-new Coconut Grove lounge Aira. We love the beachfront swim-up suites with butler service or the Island village One Bedroom Butler Villa Suites with Private Pool. sandals.com/royal-bahamian

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YES I DO VOLUME IIII | 2024

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Our European Heritage Our co-founders were born and raised along European rivers. Their heritage and relationships forged over the past 21 years have enabled us to offer exclusive experiences reserved solely for AmaWaterways guests.

Highlighting local traditions such as winemaking and Oktoberfest, as well as historic castles, these specially curated year-round opportunities immerse our guests in the authentic culture of the region.

Why River Cruise through

Europe with AmaWaterways?

Unpack once and journey through the very heart of Europe where kings and queens were crowned and great cities were born. There are many reasons river cruising is the ideal way to travel – but there is only one AmaWaterways. Discover the AmaWaterways difference and why you should come aboard with the Heart of the RiverTM in 2024.

Every Excursion Included AmaWaterways believes every traveler should be able to personalize their experience. Choose from up to seven enriching guided excursions each day, all of which are included in your upfront cruise fare: city tours operated at three unique activity levels, accommodating even the gentlest of walkers. Active hikes to hilltop castles and exhilarating biking excursions. Food and wine tastings and culinary demonstrations such as pretzel baking and truffle hunting. Prefer to sleep in? We even offer tours for late risers.

Fewer Guests on Board With some of the largest accommodations on the rivers, our award-winning ships offer the luxury of space and breathtaking views while welcoming an average of just 156 guests. With innovations such as staterooms with twin balconies (both a French balcony and outside balcony), sun-deck pools with swim-up bars and even connecting staterooms on select ships, you will have everything you need to relax and rejuvenate within your floating home away from home.

Sip and Savor – With Our Compliments Our expert chefs prepare exquisite dishes at every meal, using only the highest quality, freshest locally sourced ingredients. Menus reflect the distinctive regions we sail through and are accompanied by unlimited wines, thoughtfully selected to enhance your dining experience during every lunch and dinner. Plenty of delicious alternatives are available for guests who require low-sodium, vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options. We even have a complimentary Sip & Sail cocktail hour every night just before dinner.

Nurture Your Mind, Body and Soul Passionate about living a life of wellness, our Co-Founder Kristin Karst introduced the industry’s first complimentary Wellness Program on board our ships in 2017. In addition to well-equipped fitness rooms, our European ships have a professional Wellness Host on board who leads a variety of daily classes such as champagne yoga, core strengthening, cardio and digestive walks. This way, you can always enhance your best self – even while being pampered during your vacation.

Your Journey is Our Passion “Ama” means love – and we put love in everything we do, ensuring you have a remarkable experience from start to finish. Attentive and professional, our extraordinarily warm and genuine crew brings passion into their journey every day. From the Cruise Manager who drove to the airport to reunite a beloved teddy bear with his grateful young owner to the Hotel Receptionist who biked into town to retrieve a cherished purchase left behind, AmaWaterways’ crew is the reason guests return to the rivers with us each year. They are more than just highly trained – they “sparkle.”

Magna on the Danube 7-night cruise from Budapest, Hungary to Vilshofen, Germany (or reverse) Optional 2-night Budapest pre-cruise land package and 3-night Prague post-cruise land package (or reverse) SCAN HERE

AmaMagna, Passau, Germany

“All of our ships are wonderful, but there is something to be said for all of the exclusive amenities you can experience only on board AmaMagna, including being the sole ship when docked in Spitz and having this charming winemaking village all to yourself!”

– Jonathan B., Cruise Manager

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY Up to seven included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/magnaondanube

DAY

1 2 3 4 5 6

7

8 9

10 11 12 13

DESTINATION

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Bratislava

Hotel check-in “Hidden Budapest” tour RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Castle Hill hike; Free time “Coronation City of Kings” walking tour Vienna city tour by bike Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens Free time

Vienna Krems Scenic Cruising Spitz

Dürnstein walking tour UNESCO Wachau Valley Melk Abbey visit Exclusive wine experience

M ain Ca Dan na ube l

REGENSBURG VILSHOFEN e PASSAU nub Da

CZECH REPUBLIC

ČESKÝ KRUMLOV DÜRNSTEIN SLOVAKIA SPITZ KREMS BRATISLAVA LINZ MELK VIENNA SALZBURG Danube

"

Austria AUSTRIA AUSTRIA

Passau Vilshofen Vilshofen Regensburg Prague Prague Prague Prague

*Not combinable with other tours on this day.

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

P

SLOVENIA CROATIA

Choose your Complimentary Land Package:

“City of Three Rivers” walking tour Exclusive Oktoberfest celebration RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION Transfer to Regensburg UNESCO City Highlights tour Hotel check-in “Golden City of a Hundred Spires” tour Czech beer tasting Return flight home

BUDAPEST HUNGARY

ITALY

Full-day Salzburg excursion* OR Full-day Český Krumlov excursion*

Linz

POLAND

PRAGUE GERMANY

2 nights Budapest: valued at C$762 per person or 3 nights Prague: valued at C$1,220 per person

Alternate Itinerary Add 2 nights pre-cruise in Munich, Germany in lieu of Prague, Czech Republic on departures starting in Vilshofen.

Includes walking tour through Munich’s Old Town, Bavarian Beer Hall visit and pretzel tasting.

Valued at: C$1,194 per person (Not eligible for Complimentary Land Package offer during Oktoberfest.)

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) START DATE

Mar 15 Mar 21 Jul 19 Jul 25 Aug 8 Oct 31

START CITY

Budapest Prague Budapest Prague Prague Prague

EMBARK DATE

Mar 17 Mar 24 Jul 21 Jul 28 Aug 11 Nov 3

SHIP NAME

AmaMagna AmaMagna AmaMagna AmaMagna AmaMagna AmaMagna

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$4,477 C$4,731 C$5,875 C$5,875 C$5,875 C$5,620

All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

Play on AmaMagna’s full-size pickleball court

Melodies of the Danube 7-night cruise from Budapest, Hungary to Vilshofen, Germany Optional 2-night Budapest pre-cruise land package and 3-night Prague post-cruise land package SCAN HERE

Greinburg Castle, Grein, Austria

“I love introducing new river cruisers to Europe’s Old-World capitals along the Danube.

In addition to our guided hikes and bike tours, a highlight of this itinerary is our exclusive visit to Austria’s Greinburg Castle. Some of the rooms inside are so fascinating – especially – Debbie A., Cruise Manager the Diamond Vault and Stone Theatre!”

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY Up to five included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/melodies

DAY

DESTINATION

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

1 2 3 4

Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest

5

Bratislava

6

Vienna Weissenkirchen Scenic Cruising Grein Linz Passau Vilshofen Vilshofen Regensburg

Hotel check-in “Hidden Budapest” tour RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION “Queen of the Danube” tour Scenic cruising Tastes of Slovakia “Imperial Vienna” tour; Free time Dürnstein Fortress hike Strudengau Valley Exclusive Greinburg Castle visit “Cultural Mile” bike tour Passau Castle hike Exclusive Oktoberfest celebration RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION Transfer to Regensburg UNESCO City Highlights tour Hotel check-in Prague Castle hike Czech beer tasting Return flight home

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Prague Prague Prague Prague

GERMANY

PRAGUE

REGENSBURG VILSHOFEN PASSAU

ČESKÝ KRUMLOV

"

SALZBURG

GREIN

Mar 23 Mar 28 Mar 30 Apr 4 May 25 Jun 22 Jul 20 Jul 22 Aug 1 Aug 5 Oct 28 Nov 2

Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest Budapest

EMBARK DATE

Mar 25 Mar 30 Apr 1 Apr 6 May 27 Jun 24 Jul 22 Jul 24 Aug 3 Aug 7 Oct 30 Nov 4

SHIP NAME

AmaBella AmaLea AmaVerde AmaViola AmaVerde AmaVerde AmaVerde AmaSonata AmaLea AmaSonata AmaSonata AmaBella

MELK

Danube

P BUDAPEST

ITALY

HUNGARY

CROATIA

Choose your SLOVENIA 2 nights Budapest: Complimentary valued at C$712 per person Land Package: or 3 nights Prague: valued at C$1,144 per person

C$4,223 C$4,350 C$4,477 C$4,477 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,239 C$5,112

Wine Cruise

VIENNA

AUSTRIA

7-NIGHT CRUISE

All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

SLOVAKIA

BRATISLAVA

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) START CITY

WEISSENKIRCHEN DÜRNSTEIN

LINZ

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

START DATE

POLAND

CZECH REPUBLIC

Dürnstein Fortress hike

Romantic Danube 7-night cruise from Vilshofen, Germany to Budapest, Hungary Optional 3-night Prague pre-cruise land package

SCAN HERE

Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest, Hungary

“Passionate about wine and gastronomy, I appreciate this itinerary because it gives you many opportunities to taste the ‘pride’ of the region, from Bavarian beer to traditional bretzels to the famed apricots and apricot wine of Austria’s lovely Wachau Valley.”

– Nicki D., Cruise Manager

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY Up to five included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/romantic

DAY

DESTINATION

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

1

Prague

2

Prague

3

Prague Prague Regensburg

Hotel check-in “Golden City of a Hundred Spires” tour OR Prague Castle hike Czech beer tasting Transfer to Regensburg UNESCO City Highlights tour Transfer to Vilshofen RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Exclusive Oktoberfest celebration Free time River Inn bike tour “UNESCO City of Media Arts” walking tour Strudengau and UNESCO Wachau Valley Wachau Valley bike tour Evening wine tasting at local winery “Imperial Vienna” tour Free time Bratislava Castle hike “Queen of the Danube” tour RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION

4

Vilshofen

7

Vilshofen Passau Linz Scenic cruising Weissenkirchen

8

Vienna

9 10 11

Bratislava Budapest Budapest

5 6

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

POLAND

PRAGUE CZECH REPUBLIC

GERMANY

VILSHOFEN

ČESKÝ KRUMLOV WEISSENKIRCHEN

P

LINZ MUNICH

PASSAU

SLOVAKIA

DÜRNSTEIN BRATISLAVA VIENNA

SALZBURG

Danube

" BUDAPEST

AUSTRIA

HUNGARY ITALY

SLOVENIA

Complimentary Land Package:

CROATIA

3 nights Prague: valued at C$1,144 per person

Alternate Itinerary Add 2 nights pre-cruise in Munich, Germany in lieu of Prague, Czech Republic.

Includes walking tour through Munich’s Old Town, Bavarian Beer Hall visit and pretzel tasting.

Valued at: C$1,194 per person (Not eligible for Complimentary Land Package offer during Oktoberfest.)

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) START DATE

Mar 24 Apr 5 Jun 30 Jul 24 Jul 28 Oct 23 Nov 8 Nov 13 Nov 15 Nov 17 Dec 25 Wine Cruise

START CITY

Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague

EMBARK DATE

Mar 27 Apr 8 Jul 3 Jul 27 Jul 31 Oct 26 Nov 11 Nov 16 Nov 18 Nov 20 Dec 28

SHIP NAME

AmaSonata AmaVerde AmaSonata AmaLea AmaSonata AmaViola AmaVerde AmaVerde AmaVerde AmaSonata AmaSonata

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$4,350 C$4,604 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,239 C$4,985 C$4,858 C$4,731 C$4,731 C$4,985

‡ A Taste of Christmas Markets

All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

Exclusive Oktoberfest celebration

Gems of Southeast Europe 7-night cruise from Budapest, Hungary to Giurgiu, Romania (or reverse) Optional 2-night Vienna pre-cruise land package and 2-night Brașov/2-night Bucharest post-cruise land package (or reverse)

SCAN HERE

AmaMagna, Danube River

“It fills me with pride to take guests along the Danube and through my homeland in Serbia – there is nothing like cruising through the beautiful Iron Gates! I personally recommend adding our post-cruise land package in Romania to experience the unique – Nemanja V., Cruise Manager legends and history of Transylvania.”

CZECH REPUBLIC

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY Up to five included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/gems

DAY

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

DESTINATION

Vienna Vienna Vienna Budapest Budapest Mohacs Vukovar Belgrade Iron Gates Scenic cruising Vidin Rousse Giurgiu Brașov Brașov Brașov Bran Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

Hotel check-in “Imperial Vienna” tour Transfer to Budapest RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Scenic cruising Pécs excursion Vukovar city tour; Croatian wine tasting “The City by Two Rivers” tour; Novi Sad tour Golubac Fortress visit The Iron Gates Baba Vida Fortress and Vidin walking tour Veliko Tarnovo excursion; Bucharest excursion RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION Transfer to Brașov; Sinaia excursion Peles Royal Castle tour; Hotel check-in Brașov walking tour “Dracula’s Birthplace” Sighisoara excursion Transfer to Bran Dracula’s Castle visit Hotel check-in “Paris of the East” tour Return flight home

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) Apr 3 Jun 6 Jun 13 Jun 21 Jun 26 Jun 29 Jul 6 Jul 27 Aug 8 Oct 31 Nov 8 Nov 13 Nov 21 Wine Cruise

START CITY

Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest Vienna Bucharest Vienna Vienna Vienna Bucharest Bucharest Vienna Bucharest Bucharest

VIENNA

EMBARK DATE

Apr 7 Jun 10 Jun 17 Jun 23 Jun 30 Jul 1 Jul 8 Jul 29 Aug 12 Nov 4 Nov 10 Nov 17 Nov 25

SHIP NAME

AmaMagna AmaBella AmaVerde AmaMagna AmaMagna AmaBella AmaVerde AmaBella AmaVerde AmaVerde AmaMagna AmaMagna AmaBella

‡ A Taste of Christmas Markets

SLOVAKIA

HUNGARY

AUSTRIA

P BUDAPEST

SWITZ.

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

START DATE

POLAND

GERMANY

SLOVENIA

CROATIA

ROMANIA

SIGHIȘOARA

MOHÁCS

PÉCS

BRAȘOV NOVI SAD BELGRADE

VUKOVAR ILOK

SINAIA BUCHAREST

IRON GATES

BORNIA & HERZEGOVINA

VIDIN

Danube

SERBIA

ITALY

Choose your Complimentary Land Package:

ROUSSE VELIKO TARNOVO

Montenegro KOSOVO

" GIURGIU

BULGARIA TURKEY

GREECE

ISTANBUL

2 nights Vienna: valued at C$991 per person or 4 nights Brașov/Bucharest: valued at C$1,525 per person

Alternate Itinerary Add 3 nights post-cruise in Istanbul, Turkey in lieu of Brașov/Bucharest, Romania.

Includes Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace tours.

Add to cruise-only price: C$2,413 per person (inclusive of intra-Europe flight) (Not eligible for Complimentary Land Package offer.)

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$5,112 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,875 C$5,875 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,112 C$5,493 C$5,366 C$4,858

All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

Captivating Rhine 7-night cruise from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland Optional 2-night Amsterdam pre-cruise land package and 2-night Lake Lucerne/2-night Zurich post-cruise land package

SCAN HERE

Rhine River Valley, Germany

“Throughout the years, I have developed a strong fondness for the Rhine River. It is very satisfying sharing the stories of all the castles in the Rhine Gorge. But I must admit, walking along the cobblestone in cities like Strasbourg and Rüdesheim always makes me – Luis R., Cruise Manager feel like a hero in my own fairytale.”

DAY

DESTINATION

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

1 2

Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam

Hotel check-in Walking tour Zaanse Schans visit RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Canal cruise; Scenic cruising Cologne walking tour Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising Rüdesheim wine tasting Siegfried’s Mechanical Instrument Cabinet “Romantic Heidelberg” excursion “The Gem of Alsace” tour Black Forest hike RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION Basel highlights tour; Transfer to Lake Lucerne Lake Lucerne walking tour; Hotel check-in Lion Monument and medieval city walls Lake Lucerne cruise and scenic drive to Zurich Hotel check-in “Little Big City” tour Return flight home

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Amsterdam Düsseldorf Rhine Gorge Rüdesheim Ludwigshafen Strasbourg Breisach Basel Lake Lucerne Lake Lucerne Lake Lucerne Zurich Zurich Zurich

CAPTIVATING RHINE Oct 29 Nov 12 Nov 18 Nov 19

Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam

EMBARK DATE

Oct 31 Nov 14 Nov 20 Nov 21

SHIP NAME

AmaLucia AmaLucia AmaCerto AmaSiena

BELGIUM

GERMANY

COLOGNE RÜDESHEIM LADENBURG HEIDELBERG

LUDWIGSHAFEN LUX. SPEYER STRASBOURG RIQUEWIHR FRANCE

BASEL

BLACK FOREST BREISACH

" FREIBURG ZURICH

LUCERNE

SWITZERLAND

Choose your Complimentary Land Package:

CZECH REPUBLIC

AUSTRIA

ITALY

2 nights Amsterdam: valued at C$953 per person or 2 nights Lucerne/ 2 nights Zurich: valued at C$2,135 per person

Alternate Itinerary Cruise from Basel to Amsterdam on AmaWaterways’ 7-night Enchanting Rhine itinerary with optional precruise land package in Switzerland (2 nights Lake Lucerne, 2 nights Zurich).

Visit AmaWaterways.ca/enchanting for details.

(Also eligible for Complimentary Land Package offer.)

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) START CITY

NETHERLANDS Ams-Rhine Canal

DUSSELDORF

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

START DATE

P

ine Rh

3

ZAANSE SCHANS AMSTERDAM

Rh ine

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY Up to six included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/captivating

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$5,239 C$4,858 C$4,731 C$4,731

ENCHANTING RHINE START DATE

Oct 27 Nov 3 Nov 10 Nov 17 Dec 22 Dec 24 Wine Cruise

START CITY

Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich

EMBARK DATE

Oct 31 Nov 7 Nov 14 Nov 21 Dec 26 Dec 28

SHIP NAME

AmaSiena AmaLucia AmaSiena AmaLucia AmaSiena AmaCerto

‡ A Taste of Christmas Markets

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$5,239 C$5,112 C$4,858 C$4,731 C$4,985 C$4,985

All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps 7-night cruise from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland (or reverse) Optional 2-night Amsterdam pre-cruise land package and 3-night Lake Como post-cruise land package

SCAN HERE

Up to five included excursions are available each day. For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca

Lucerne, Switzerland

“What I cherish about this itinerary, besides all the amazing historic castles, is the opportunity to spend more time in Switzerland with a full day docked in Basel. You can tour the ‘City of Art,’ head to Lucerne with its beautiful lake, or take a bike ride through – Marcia M., Cruise Manager three countries during one excursion!”

DESTINATION

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

1 2

Amsterdam Amsterdam

3

Amsterdam

4 5

Amsterdam Cologne Rhine Gorge Rüdesheim

Hotel check-in Walking tour Zaanse Schans visit RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Canal cruise; Scenic cruising Cologne bike tour Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising Gondola ride Rüdesheimer coffee “Secrets of Speyer” tour Strasbourg bike tour Lucerne Full-Day tour* RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION Transfer to Lake Como Hotel check-in Walking tour Lake Como boat excursion to the “Pearl of Lake Como,” Bellagio Return flight home

6 7 8 9 10

Ludwigshafen Strasbourg Basel Basel

11

Lake Como Lake Como

12

Lake Como

13

Lake Como

NETHERLANDS

P Ams-Rhine Canal

BELGIUM

ine Rh

DAY

ZAANSE SCHANS AMSTERDAM

GERMANY

COLOGNE RÜDESHEIM

LUDWIGSHAFEN LUX. SPEYER STRASBOURG FRANCE

BASEL

"

SWITZERLAND

LUCERNE

LAKE COMO

Choose your Complimentary Land Package:

2 nights Amsterdam: valued at C$953 per person or 3 nights Lake Como: valued at C$1,830 per person

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) Jul 5 Jul 20 Jul 26 Aug 3 Aug 9 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 9 Nov 15 Dec 13 Wine Cruise

START CITY

Lake Como Amsterdam Lake Como Amsterdam Lake Como Lake Como Lake Como Amsterdam Lake Como Lake Como

EMBARK DATE

Jul 8 Jul 22 Jul 29 Aug 5 Aug 12 Nov 4 Nov 11 Nov 11 Nov 18 Dec 16

Holiday Cruise

SHIP NAME

AmaMora AmaMora AmaSerena AmaSerena AmaSerena AmaSerena AmaMora AmaSerena AmaSerena AmaSerena

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,366 C$5,112 C$4,985 C$4,985 C$4,731 C$4,985

‡ A Taste of Christmas Markets

All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

AUSTRIA

ITALY

*Not combinable with other tours on this day.

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

START DATE

CZECH REPUBLIC

HEIDELBERG

Rh ine

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY Up to six included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/castlesandalps

Gondola ride, Rüdesheim, Germany

Taste of Bordeaux

7-night cruise roundtrip from Bordeaux, France Optional 2-night Bilbao/2-night San Sebastián pre-cruise and 2-night Loire Valley/1-night Paris post-cruise land package SCAN HERE

Bordeaux, France

“There is no more immersive experience into iconic French wines than a river cruise through Bordeaux. If you enjoy exploring the world through your taste buds like me, adding our optional land package in the Basque Country of Spain, my home country, – Abel R., Cruise Manager is an absolute must!”

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY

PARIS

Paris (CDG) Airport Hotel

Up to six included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/bordeaux

DAY

Bilbao

2

Bilbao

Hotel check-in Guernica excursion; “A City of Contrasts” walking tour and introduction to tapas Guggenheim Museum Hotel check-in; evening walk of Old Town “City by the Bay of Biscay” tour Transfer to Bordeaux via Bayonne RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Morning scenic cruising Saint-Émilion excursion and Grand Cru Classé wine tasting Bastide town and market visit Citadel visit Bourg walking tour, Carriage Museum and WWII Petrol Cistern; Exclusive wine festival Medoc Grand Cru Classé wine tasting and scenic vineyard tour Roquetaillade Castle with Sauternes wine tasting UNESCO city tour and market tasting Bordeaux Cité du Vin (wine museum) visit RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION Transfer to tours; free time for lunch Hotel check-in Château de Chenonceau, Du Close Lucé and Château d’Amboise Hotel check-out Transfer to Paris; hotel check-in Return flight home

4 5 6 7 8

Bilbao San Sebastián San Sebastián San Sebastián Bordeaux Bordeaux Libourne Libourne Blaye Bourg

9

Cussac Fort Medoc

10

Cadillac

11

Bordeaux

12 13 14 15

Bordeaux Loire Valley/Amboise Amboise Amboise Paris Paris

SOULAC-SUR-MER

La G

iro n

CUSSACFORT MÉDOC

BORDEAUX

de

BLAYE BOURG LIBOURNE

Rhône

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

3

FRANCE LOIRE VALLEY

1

DESTINATION

P"

BORDEAUX P "

CADILLAC

SAINT-ÉMILION Dordogne

Ga

ron

ne

BILBAO SAN SEBASTIÁN SPAIN

Choose your Complimentary Land Package:

2 nights Bilbao/ 2 nights San Sebastián: valued at C$1,525 per person or 2 nights Loire Valley/ 1 night Paris: valued at C$1,753 per person

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) START DATE

Mar 10 Mar 24 Apr 28 May 5 May 26 Jun 9 Jul 7 Oct 6 Oct 20 Oct 27

START CITY

Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao

EMBARK DATE

Mar 14 Mar 28 May 2 May 9 May 30 Jun 13 Jul 11 Oct 10 Oct 24 Oct 31

SHIP NAME

AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce AmaDolce

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$4,858 C$5,239 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$5,875 C$5,493 C$5,239

La Cité du Vin, Bordeaux, France

Wine Cruise All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

Essence of Burgundy & Provence 7-night cruise from Port of Dijon to Arles, France (or reverse) Optional 3-night Geneva pre-cruise and 3-night French Riviera (Nice/Monaco) post-cruise land package (or reverse)

SCAN HERE

Avignon, France

“The Château Cormatin is a rare jewel in classical French architecture with a unique maze for visitors of all ages. If you like white wine, be sure to join us for our included Mâconnais wine tasting excursion – you may just return home with a new favorite – Camille D., Cruise Manager bottle or two!”

BELGIUM

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY DAY

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

1 2

Geneva Geneva

3

Geneva

4

Geneva Dijon

Hotel check-in “The Peace Capital” city tour “Pearl of the French Alps” Annecy excursion Chillon Castle visit Transfer to ship Dijon city tour RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Historic city tour Scenic cruising Château Cormatin Mâconnais wine tasting “The South Burgundy City” Mâcon tour Scenic cruising “France’s Culinary Capital” city tour Mount Pipet hike Scenic cruising Viviers walking tour “Ghost Walk of Viviers” Walking tour and Papal Palace Van Gogh walking tour RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION Transfer to Nice Hotel check-in Nice city tour Cote d’Azur and Monaco excursion Return flight home

5 6

Chalon-sur-Saône Tournus Tournus Mâcon

7

Mâcon

8

Lyon Vienne

9

Viviers

10 11 12 13 14

Avignon Arles Arles Aix-en-Provence Nice Nice Nice Nice

BEAUNE CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE TOURNUS BRANCION CLUNY

ARLES

Mar 18 Jun 17 Jul 8 Aug 5

Geneva Nice Geneva Geneva

EMBARK DATE

Mar 21 Jun 20 Jul 11 Aug 8

SHIP NAME

AmaCello AmaCello AmaCello AmaCello

Choose your Complimentary Land Package:

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$4,985 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$6,002

Wine Cruise All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

"

ITALY

AVIGNON NICE

SPAIN

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) START CITY

SWITZERLAND GENEVA BOURG-EN-BRESSE VIENNE

LYON

FRANCE

GERMANY

P

MÂCON

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

START DATE

DIJON

ne Rhô

DESTINATION

Saône

Up to five included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/essence

Arles bike tour

3 nights Geneva: valued at C$1,792 per person or 3 nights Nice: valued at C$1,677 per person

Paris & Normandy 7-night cruise roundtrip from Paris, France Optional 2-night Paris pre-cruise land package

SCAN HERE

French Balcony Stateroom on the Seine River

“Many guests fulfill their dreams of visiting Paris during this cruise, but they are also surprised by how much they enjoy Normandy. Aside from the rich history of the D-Day landing beaches, guests love strolling the cobblestone in Rouen, sampling apple brandy – Cesário S., Cruise Manager and the quaint seaside town of Honfleur.”

RIVER CRUISE & LAND ITINERARY Up to four included excursions are available each day; the below is just a sample.

For full details, visit AmaWaterways.ca/parisnormandy

DAY

1 2 3

DESTINATION

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

Paris Paris Paris

Hotel check-in “Hidden Paris” and Atelier des Lumières tour Montmartre tour RIVER CRUISE EMBARKATION Château Gaillard Scenic cruising

4

Les Andelys

5

Le Havre

6

Le Havre

7

Rouen

8

Vernon

9

Paris

10

Paris

Honfleur excursion Le Havre “UNESCO City of Architects” tour Full-day Pays d’Auge* Tastes of Normandy Bonnemare Castle visit Scenic cruising Château de Bizy tour

FRANCE

CAUDEBEC-EN-CAUX LE HAVRE HONFLEUR Normandy Beaches

PAYS D'AUGE

Complimentary Land Package:

ROUEN Se LES ANDELYS in e AUVERS-SUR-OISE GIVERNY VERNON

"P

2 nights Paris: valued at C$1,144 per person

Artist’s Walk of Auvers-sur-Oise Paris “City of Light” tour RIVER CRUISE DISEMBARKATION

*Not combinable with other tours on this day.

Itinerary subject to change. Please refer to your final travel documents for the most up-to-date information.

2 0 2 4 DAT E S & P R I C E S (C A D) START DATE

Mar 14 Mar 19 Mar 26 Apr 9 Jun 11 Jun 13 Jul 4 Jul 9 Jul 11 Oct 24 Nov 5

START CITY

Paris Paris Paris Paris Paris Paris Paris Paris Paris Paris Paris

EMBARK DATE

Mar 16 Mar 21 Mar 28 Apr 11 Jun 13 Jun 15 Jul 6 Jul 11 Jul 13 Oct 26 Nov 7

SHIP NAME

AmaDante AmaLyra AmaLyra AmaLyra AmaLyra AmaDante AmaDante AmaLyra AmaLyra AmaDante AmaLyra

7-NIGHT CRUISE

C$4,858 C$4,985 C$5,239 C$5,620 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$6,002 C$5,493 C$5,112

Wine Cruise All prices are in CAD, per person in Category E stateroom, based on double occupancy and inclusive of C$285 per person port charges. Stateroom upgrades are additional. Solo travelers must pay standard cruise single supplement to receive a Complimentary Land Package offer.

PARIS

Château Gaillard, Les Andelys, France

Featured Complimentary Land Packages The French Riviera (Nice and Monaco) Step into the paintings of Paul Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence before touring Nice, the scenic capital of the French Riviera nestled along the Mediterranean Sea. You will also visit the hilltop town of Eze and medieval Monaco-Ville before taking in the luxury of Monte Carlo.

Add 3 nights post-cruise to Essence of Burgundy & Provence

Lake Como, Italy

French Riviera, Nice, France

Some places simply have to be seen to be believed, and Lake Como is one of them. Gaze at the azure waters and impressive villas that line the lakeside from the hills above, plus board a boat for a scenic ride along Lake Como to its stunning pearl, Bellagio.

Add 3 nights pre- or post-cruise to Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps

Basque Country, Spain (Bilbao and San Sebastián) Travel to Guernica, the subject of one of Picasso’s most renowned paintings, as well as Bilbao, where you will visit the world-famous Guggenheim Museum. Take an evening stroll through San Sebastián’s Old Town and discover the charms of the “City by the Bay of Biscay.”

Lake Como, Italy

Add 2 nights Bilbao and 2 nights San Sebastián to Taste of Bordeaux

Amsterdam, Netherlands Stroll among the iconic canals, bridges and distinctive architecture of the city that once served as Anne Frank’s home. You’ll also visit Zaanse Schans, observing authentic 17th and 18th-century windmills, houses and shops relocated to this picturesque area.

San Sebastián, Spain

Add 2 nights pre-cruise to select Rhine River and Dutch & Belgian Waterways itineraries

Prague, Czech Republic Prague is considered the “City of a Hundred Spires” and its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoy leisure time to discover Prague’s medieval astronomical clock and the romantic Charles Bridge, and sample some of the world’s best beer.

Add 3 nights pre- or post-cruise to select Danube River cruises

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Contact your travel advisor to reserve your river cruise with a complimentary land package by March 31, 2024!

Scan to learn more about our land packages:

Prague, Czech Republic

What’s Included in Your River Cruise Elegantly appointed riverview staterooms and suites – most with signature twin balconies, French balconies or full balconies Experienced Cruise Manager who accompanies you throughout your river cruise and land journey All meals on board, including a multi-course tasting menu at The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant, with complimentary unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks during lunch and dinner Sip & Sail cocktail hour with complimentary wine, beer and spirits All excursions with your choice from up to seven guided tours each day, including immersive special interest tours and hiking and biking excursions Wellness Program and classes led by a professionally trained Wellness Host Unlimited high-quality complimentary Wi-Fi on board And more!

Scan to learn more:

What’s Included in Your Complimentary Land Package Overnight stays at world-class 4- and 5-star hotels Daily breakfast Guided city tours and excursions Convenient transfers and luggage service between your hotel and river cruise ship The services of one of our wonderful Cruise Managers throughout your river cruise and land journey

Scan for full details

Your First River Cruise Awaits We would love nothing more than to welcome you on board one of our beautiful river cruise ships and hope you will take advantage of our limited-time Complimentary Land Package offer.

Reserve select 2024 Europe sailings before March 31, 2024 and you can add a 2-, 3- or 4-night land package before or after your river cruise – with our compliments! This offer is combinable with our special AirPlus fixed rates on airfare when you reserve your flights with AmaAir.

AirPlus Rates Per Person: Economy Air: C$1,099 Premium Economy Air: C$2,999 Business Class Air: C$4,999 For more information and complete terms & conditions, please visit AmaWaterways.ca/airplus-2024

Why Reserve Your Flights with AmaAir? Not only do we offer excellent fares on high-quality airlines from most major U.S. and Canadian gateways, but we include comfortable coach transfers and provide peace of mind during your journey.

Is there another destination or itinerary that has captured your attention? We offer more than 40 unique river cruise itineraries through Europe, Asia and Egypt, as well as life-changing Africa Safaris & Wildlife Cruises, and our new cruises through Colombia along the magnificent Magdalena River beginning in November. No matter which destination you choose, we would love to welcome you on board very soon.

Scan to view our latest offers: TERMS AND CONDITIONS: All rates are per person in CAD for cruise only, inclusive of port charges, based on double occupancy in Category E stateroom, and includes one complimentary eligible Land Package per person on the reservation. Complimentary Land Package offer is valid on new FIT and Group reservations made between January 1 through March 31, 2024; applies to select 2024 and 2025 Europe sailings and is based on double occupancy. Tour Operators are eligible; additional restrictions apply. Certain sailings and/or land packages may not be available due to special local events. Not all advertised Land Packages are eligible and are available at an additional cost. Complimentary Land is only valid with the purchase of a participating cruise at full fare and only includes hotel to/from ship transfers (airport arrival/departures transfers can be purchased). Offer is combinable with AirPlus Rates, Combination Cruise Savings, Loyalty Benefits and Future Cruise Benefit Program. Solo Travelers must pay full cruise fare, inclusive of full fare single supplement rates, in order to receive complimentary land on eligible land packages. Offer is not applicable to travel advisors and does not apply to industry rates or other offers deemed by AmaWaterways. We will seek to use hotels listed (if any) on your confirmation; changes may be necessary using comparable hotels. When possible, AmaWaterways will book guests traveling together on conjunction bookings in the same hotel if the requests are made. All requests are subject to availability. AmaWaterways will provide the confirmed details for the hotel after the promotion ends. Must request promo code FREELAND-PRE or FREELAND-POST at time of booking for double occupancy; Single occupancy bookings must request promo code LANDSOLO-PRE or LANDSOLO-POST. Other optional land packages, visas, airfares and gratuities are additional. Offer is not combinable with any other promotions/discounts, limited to availability, capacity controlled and subject to change or termination without notice. ‡ A Taste of Christmas Markets: Guests may have the opportunity to visit Christmas Markets in certain cities depending on opening dates. Check with each country’s tourist office for more information. AmaWaterways reserves the right to correct any errors or omissions at any time. Other restrictions apply. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. For full terms and conditions, please visit www.amawaterways.ca/terms-conditions CST#2065452-20.

Wish you were here

POSTCARD FROM

THE GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST, B.C. I’M DRIFTING DOWN the Atnarko River, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, enjoying the view of the aptly named Stupendous Mountain.

I would almost describe the feeling as meditative on that quiet, sunny autumn day, if it was not for our goal.

We are on a “Grizzly Bear Safari,” looking for grizzlies who are also searching these jade green waters themselves, but for fish.

The prime time for spotting grizzlies is late summer and early fall when thousands of salmon arrive in Atnarko to spawn, making an easy meal for bears to fatten up before winter hibernation.

The rubber boat, steered by an unarmed Jessib Padgett, a local who has been guiding visitors into bear country since 2008, knows the river well. In fact, his “hippie parents” gave him Atnarko as a middle name.

100

BOLD TRAVELLER WINTER 23/24

“I love everything about this job and place,” he says. “It’s as if it’s on steroids here.

Everything is big. Big mountains, big views, big bears.”

Padgett works for Tweedsmuir Park Lodge in Bella Coola, situated inside British Columbia’s Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, with its front row seat to one of the healthiest bear habitats in North America. It’s not unusual for guests on Grizzly Bear Safaris, either on a drift or a walk in the neighbouring old growth forest, to first see grizzly bears closer to where they themselves are staying in luxury log cabins on the property.

The lodge promised “one of the ultimate wildlife viewing opportunities,” and they delivered. My first grizzly sighting happened on the bucolic property, with a sow and her two cubs spotted napping between two cabins, delaying a visit from housekeeping.

My guided safaris didn’t result in any grizzly sightings until my third “drift” down the river and not at all during a guided walk through the forest. But I did get up early most mornings, on my own, to try my luck at the lodge’s elevated viewing platform overlooking 600 metres of river frontage. I found success once there, then a final time when the sow and her cubs returned to the property as we were leaving for the airport. Big, indeed. tweedsmuirparklodge.com

​​Post your best pictures on Instagram using #boldpicks for the chance to be featured on this page in a future issue.

Photography: Courtesy Of Tweedsmuir Park Lodge

British Columbia is known for its luxury wilderness lodges in prime locations to be immersed in nature, and wonderful places to nourish both mind and body. BY KIM PEMBERTON